Salaried share of the pain

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 677, 11 March 1997, Page 6

Salaried share of the pain

• If, as reported in last week' s Bulletin, the RDC's chief executive, Cliff Houston, is so concerned about the future * viability of the Ruapehu district ("I despair of the future of this district with its small population and its large area") why doesn't he and his staff share some of the pain about to be inflicted on ratepayers (by a rate increase) by offering to take a voluntary pay cut? The 60 or so RDC staff receive salaries and wages of between $27,000 and $100,000 plus with an average of about $40,000/$50,000 which is paid by ratepayers. If they were to accept a voluntary pay cut for one year it would demonstrate that they are prepared to put their money where their mouths are. Why should ratepayers have to take on an extra rates burden in order to maintain highly paid Council staff in the generous life style to which they have become accustomed without them having to share the burden which they are about to impose on those who pay them? If higher paid Council staff were prepared to accept a 10% - 20% pay cut for one year it would go a long way towards paying off the debt of $720,000 currently owing and it would not cause any undue suffering or sacrifice, given that National Superannuitants have li ved on $ 1 0,000 a year or less for many years. A 10% pay cut would reduce a salary of $40,000 to $36,000, $50,000 to $45,000 and $100,000 to $90,000. A

20% pay cut would reduce a salary of $40,000 to $32,000, $50,000 to $40,000 and $100,000 to $80,000 all of which are well above the incomes of most ratepayers who are being asked to shoulder the proposed rate increases.

Superannuitant