Citizens should decide MLA pensions: Tory

A Progressive Conservative MLA says he believes ordinary New Brunswick citizens should decide how much provincial politicians should earn from their pensions.

New Brunswick's MLAs have come under intense scrutiny in the last three years over the decision by politicians to vote themselves an increase in their pay and pension benefits in 2008.

As a result of that vote, MLA pension accounts were flooded with millions of extra taxpayers'dollars.

The boost gaveNew Brunswick MLAs one of the richest political pension plans in the country.

'I think that New Brunswickers need to be consulted on pensions.' PC MLA Brian MacDonald

Progressive Conservative MLA Brian MacDonald, who was first elected in 2010 and did not participate in the vote to approve the improved pension plan, said it's not right that MLAs were allowed to approve increases to their benefit plans.

"Nobody should be elected to give themselves a raise or vote themselves a higher pension. Nobody should have that power," he said on CBC's weekly political panel.

MacDonald said a committee of ordinary New Brunswickers should have the say on what politicians earn.

"I'm suggesting this as an option that New Brunswickers need to be consulted," MacDonald said.

"I think that New Brunswickers need to be consulted on pensions."

Guidelines needed

ALiberal MLA said he agrees with the idea that citizens should have input on pensions, but said it would have to be with conditions.

Liberal MLA Brian Kenny said he wouldn't be against the idea provided there were some guidelines in place on who would sit on the panel.

"I suppose there would have some sort of criteria, who is going to be appointed to that board to be able to understand if they understand the doings of pensions," Kenny said.

"Just having somebody off the street that doesn't have any education on how pensions work. I don't know if that would work. I think you'd have to have some sort of criteria."

Auditor General Kim MacPherson forced the issue of MLA pensions back into the spotlight this week when her report questioned the viability of the politicians' pension plan.

A committee, which includes a retired judge, a former deputyminister and a chartered accountant,has already been named to look into the issue of MLA pensions.

The committee'sreport is expected early this year and will review the recent changes.

The 2008 reforms boosted New Brunswick MLAs pensions by 85 per cent by voting to increase their salary and eliminate some tax-free allowances.

The changes meant the base salaries for MLAs rise to $85,000 from $45,347.