Councillors in the Municipality of the County of Antigonish have approved a pay raise to help offset a change to federal income tax regulations.
One-third of a municipal councillor’s stipend used to be tax-free to off-set the cost of travel, but federal officials have removed that exemption, so their take-home pay will be less.
Antigonish Co. councillors voted in favour of topping up their stipend to cover the difference at December’s regular municipal council meeting Wednesday night.
After the meeting, Owen McCarron, the warden of Antigonish Co., said it’s a common move.
“We asked staff to go back and take a look- council, along with many other municipalities across the province, (are) going to make it so that the net difference to a councillor doesn’t change,” he said. “That will reflect a small increase to offset the tax piece.”
Antigonish town councillors recently made the same decision.
Municipal councillors in Guysborough voted against a pay increase in November; Port Hawkesbury town councillors have delayed their decision until budget deliberations.