In Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, we value fairness, transparency, and responsible stewardship of public funds. These principles guide how we expect our elected officials to lead. Today, these standards are being tested.

Town Council recently reviewed a consultant report that examined council remuneration. This report cost taxpayers approximately $10,000-15,000 and concluded that only a modest increase of $2,467 to the mayor’s salary was supported by the data. A change that would adjust the current salary from $54,924 to $57,391. The data also showed that Yarmouth’s elected officials are already well above comparable municipalities in most categories, including total compensation, benefits, pensions, and per-resident cost. Despite this, a motion was put forward to pursue a larger salary increase.

At the same time, residents have faced year-over-year tax increases, rising service fees, and infrastructure challenges that require real investment. Many in our community believe that elected officials should not raise their own pay during their term, especially when the evidence does not support a substantial increase.

Where Things Stand Now
At the October 30th Committee of the Whole council meeting, two decisions were made:

1. The vote on the mayor’s salary increase was tabled to January 2026, pushing the decision to later in the term.
2. Council also tabled a motion to explore a formal remuneration policy that would govern how future salary reviews are conducted, ideally creating a more transparent and arms-length process.
   
   Both motions confirm that this conversation is far from over—and that public input is urgently needed.

Why This Matters
Residents deserve confidence that public money is spent responsibly. A mid-term wage increase for elected officials conflicts with the principles of accountability and good governance. Best practice in many municipalities is for councils to set compensation for the next council, not themselves—a point also noted within the consultant report.

At a time when we are seeing:

• rising property taxes,
• aging infrastructure,
• ongoing concerns around housing, safety, recreation, and economic development
  
  It is unreasonable to prioritize increasing the pay of elected officials, particularly when the consultant’s own findings indicate no need for a major adjustment.

What This Petition Calls For
By signing this petition, you stand with residents who believe that:

• Town Council should reject any mayoral salary increase beyond what the consultant recommended.
• Any salary adjustments should only take effect for the next elected council, not for current office-holders.
• The new remuneration policy must be transparent, evidence-based, and protect residents from politically motivated pay decisions.
• Council should focus on real community priorities, including infrastructure maintenance, community safety, affordability, and long-term financial sustainability.
• Our Community Deserves Better
  
  This petition is not about opposition for the sake of opposition. It is about protecting the integrity of local governance and ensuring that public funds serve the public good.

Let’s remind Town Council that their duty is to represent the interests of Yarmouth residents—not to increase their own compensation during an active term, and not beyond what independent analysis supports.