Public decides what is fair pay

The making public of the remuneration of our mayor and councillors was sure to raise some eyebrows, and cause the odd bit of discontent.
Specific terms and conditions of employment are usually left to employees and their employers. But that situation changes when the person or people picking up the bill - the employer - is the very public you represent, those who voted you in.
It's part of public office that as much as the decisions you make and your actions, what you are paid is also subject to a level of scrutiny most of us do not have to endure. That's the nature of the job - past, present and future actions, business dealings, anything it seems is open for scrutiny to determine those who have been elected are of such character and beliefs to represent the constituency.
In Annette Main's case, she attracted a sizeable portion of the vote for the mayoralty and as a general councillor. As mayor, she has an enormous task with demands on her time as groups seek her out to attend functions, speak and make presentations. But while this "public" face of the mayoralty is important, the work setting the council on the right path, of bringing disparate views of the elected members and the constituents they represent together is where the real test lies.
Running for public office is not for everyone. Not all of us have the skills to lead in that way, nor are we prepared to open up our lives to the sort of scrutiny public officials are subjected to.
Our councillors are hardly going to get rich off the public purse. Ordinary councillors get a fraction over $25,000 for their effort. Committee chairs and Deputy Mayor Rangi Wills each get just under $30,000. Transfer the skills and responsibilities into the commercial world and the numbers would surely be vastly different, although councillors are not being compensated as fulltime employees. Most also hold down permanent jobs as well.
As for Mayor Main, we must avoid comparisons with her predecessor, who was able to treat his council roles as "community work" and claimed to not need the salary that came with it.
Councillors' and the mayor's remuneration should be made public and, yes, that is set by the Remuneration Authority and gives them little option but to accept. But the people who must really decide if the pay is fair for the work our elected officials do it is you, the public they represent.
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