The cut to Saskatchewan’s rural library system is $3.5 million dollars.
The cost of the three unnecessary MLAs added by the Sask Party before the last provincial election is $750,000 and the NDP actually ran on a platform of cutting those three plus three more which would save the province $1.5 million dollars per year.
Hmm, which is adds more value to an economically challenged province – 300 libraries serving nearly every community in the province or 3 MLAs that the province was just fine without up until last year?
[Edit: Someone on Facebook posted a fact I didn’t know – Saskatchewan has the sixth largest population of the provinces and territories in Canada but the third highest number of MLA’s. MLA’s have taken a pay cut but are any of them out of a job like some library staff already are and many others will be? Maybe that would be a better way to save money then on the backs of rural Saskatchewan’s public libraries.]
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There is no real pay cut for MLA’s because of how they factor their compensation. Take a look at the recommendations of the CTF and you will see they only implemented the changes which benefited them since they’ve been in office.
Premier Base Salary vs Real Salary with tax cuts and compensation. (Not including party top up.)
2006
Base $ 64817 Real. $128 790
2016
Base $ 93608. Real. $166 137
________ _________
$ 28791 $ 37 347.
Not withstanding a large increase when pension structure was changed this amounts to a 3.58% increase in base rate each year for the past 10 years. Changes to tax exemptions pension and compensation reduces this % to 2.58% per year for the past 10 years on wage plus compensation.
A far cry from the 1.6% the government likes to claim as the tie in to inflation.
The premiers wage freeze for 2017 means nothing in light of the above.
Now a 3.5 % wage cut on base rate of $96183 for the premier would return the premier’s wage to his 2015 base plus compensation rate.
A 3.5% reduction for the average worker who saw a 1.5% increase each year for 3 years puts that worker at or below 2014 wages factoring in inflation.
Hardly what I would call leading by example.
I have learned more from books than an MLA.
What on earth was he thinking. Libraries are more than books.! I love the statenent: I have learned more from books than any MLA.
Here is an editorial I wrote that sums up my experience as a librarian before I returned to journalism.
Hope it helps.
http://www.nipawinjournal.com/2017/04/05/politicians-need-libraries
Great article – thanks!
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