File #: 18-296    Version: 1 Name:
Type: Staff Report Status: Passed
File created: 6/27/2018 In control: Council
On agenda: 7/9/2018 Final action: 7/9/2018
Title: Mayor and Council Remuneration Review
Attachments: 1. T2200 - Declaration of Conditions of Employment, 2. CRA Guidelines re Employment Expenses 2017
REQUEST FOR DECISION

DATE: June 26, 2018 Report No. ADM-18-022
TO: Laurie Hurst, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Vicki Gannon, Director of Human Resources
SUBJECT:

Title
Mayor and Council Remuneration Review
End

RECOMMENDATION:

Recommendation
That Council receive Staff Report ADM-18-022 for information and provide staff with direction to revise Council Remuneration Bylaw, 2014, No. 2836, and related Council Policies, effective November 1, 2018.
Body

RELEVANT POLICY:

Council Policy ADMIN-58 Independent Review and Market Analysis of Council Remuneration
Council Policy ADMIN-62 Remuneration for Elected Officials
Council Remuneration Bylaw, 2014, No. 2836

STRATEGIC RELEVANCE:

This Report is not directly related to any specific Council priority.


BACKGROUND:

At a Special Council meeting dated May 22, 2018, a motion was moved to compensate the Mayor, effective November 1, 2018, at the median rate of 10 comparable municipalities: $57,600, and that the Council receive 40% of that rate, based on the current Bylaw.

As a result of the changes to the tax laws being implemented in January, 2019, specifically the elimination of the 1/3 tax free allowance, Council also requested that staff provide information regarding the process for elected officials to deduct employment expenses from his or her income.

In reviewing this information with tax accountants at KPMG, it was confirmed that elected officials are deemed to be employees for tax purposes under the Income Tax Act; therefore, those expenses that are related to an elected official's position that are not directly reimbursed by the Township could be claimed as a deduction from income on personal tax returns using the T2200 form, Declaration of Conditions of Employment.

If elected officials deduct employment expenses, the employer must complete and sign the T2200 form. The signed forms do not need to be included with the tax returns, but they must be kept in case CRA requests to see it. Ne...

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