While a large majority of participants in the city's online budget survey were clear they don't support a proposed pay hike for councillors, Councillor Ben Isittt remains supportive of his proposal.
Isitt says what many likely don't realize is that Victoria requires more complex governance that many other areas, and there is no way to deliver on expectations working just 35 hours a week:
" This isn't for me. I'm fine financially. I teach at the university. I do some research work, by essentially working extremely unsustainably long hours -- main weeks more than 80 hours a week, I'm fine financially. But a number of my colleagues I see they are working extremely hard. They get a pay stub from the city of Victoria every 2 weeks. It says that we work 35 hours."
Isitt adds Victoria has a downtown, higher levels of social issues impacting neighbourhoods and businesses, and is the arts and cultural centre for the region. He says overseeing all of that takes a lot of extra time:
"The complexity of the city has evolved to the point where I think we couldn't provide good governance simply doing it off the side of our desk. And when the Chamber of Commerce and others say "oh cut corners" ... if they'd be fine with their councillors not reading the report, not reading the budget documents, they are welcome to have that opinion. I personally don't think
that would be providing the kind of accountability that city of Victoria taxpayers expect."
Isitt says by comparison Saanich council has met for 130 hours in formal council meetings so far this year, while Victoria's council has logged 550 hours.
He says without providing adequate compensation we risk discouraging a diverse and inclusive council -- and may only attract those financially secure enough to sit at the council table.