MARK-ALAN WHITTLE
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WRITER SAYS CAPLAN SHORT-SIGHTED: PAY

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Mountain News (Hamilton)
According to his own words past and present, Alderman Marvin Caplan would rather split hairs over the issue of pay for public service as a politician, than face the reality of the need for fiscal restraint down at city hall.
What about the private sector, from which he derives income, but failed to declare for the public record. Was this outside income factored in to his equation?
Most talented professionals I have met make less than $50 thousand a year, but they work long hours on top of their family obligations and volunteer work in their respective communities. Only Alderman Marvin Caplan, a legend in his own mind at least politically, could be so shortsighted and myopic on this particularly sensitive issue with the taxpayers.
If I did not know any better I would say he was not paying attention to the cold facts of the matter.
I have read every single submission to the transition board by Alderman Caplan available to the public and he has always advocated that he was underpaid. Perhaps he can clarify for the readership exactly who he blames for this.
Is it the hardworking taxpayers that pay him $50 thousand a year, or is it his other private sector employer who has failed to keep pace with inflation on his behalf?
The average worker in Hamilton takes home about $30 grand a year for "real" full time work to support a growing family, many of them punching a clock to prove it.
Perhaps Marvin should do the same in this regard so we can pay him by the hour. Amalgamation has made Councillors duties easier compared to the seven different levels we had before.
Besides, until our new city is a year or two old, Marvin's claim that he will have to work harder to serve his constituents remains to be seen and conclusively proven.
If he is not up to the job, he should resign.
Until then Marvin would be better off rolling up his sleeves and make the new government work to the taxpayers benefit instead of thinking of himself first.