What Do These Numbers Have In Common?
They All Come From City Hall Documents
Claiming To Represent The Cost Of Staffing
If you look to the Annual Report you will find one number, the SOFI document contains another and the Fact Sheet that came with this years financial plan will give you another number. One thing all these numbers have in common, is that they are not completely accurate, nor are they for the year 2012. They also do not include anything for the cost of police officers contracted from the RCMP, even though the cost of wages and benefits of all RCMP officers is being paid by the city of Nanaimo, they are simply not on the city payroll.
The Actual Correct Number?
If you are wondering what the actual cost of wages, salaries and benefits paid to exempt and non-exempt people your tax dollar pays, the correct number is $54,376,323.00. Remember that does not include the cost of paying the police officers employed by the RCMP, nor does it include the increase that will be due the firefighters when they finally settle their last contract.
It is also not completely clear if these numbers would include non-taxable benefits enjoyed by some members of management, such as car allowances, breakfast, lunches and dinners etc. Nor does it likely include benefits such as banked sick days etc. which can all become part of the 'golden parachute' package many public employees are able to pack away and collect upon retirement. Not unlike Mr.Berry's half million dollar golden handshake so he could quit work two years early.
As the largest component of the operating budget it would the natural area to look for some cost savings that many are demanding.
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