Executive committee rejects pay hike for Toronto councillors

Travel expenses and a proposed pay raise for city councillors came under fire Wednesday during a meeting of the city’s executive committee.

The committee, as expected, rejected a 12.9 per cent pay raise for councillors that was earlier proposed by city staff. Councillors will instead receive an annual cost-of-living increase.

Council has passed on proposed increases in the past. This fall’s looming municipal election made this latest proposal that much less likely to pass. The proposal will go before council next.

"If you want to earn more … go work for another level of government," Mayor Rob Ford said to committee members. "If you are in it for the money, you are in it for the wrong reasons."

Much of the day was spent talking about money, including travel expenses.

It was revealed city staff spent $6 million on travel in 2013 — including an 18-person trip to a conference in Vancouver — which also drew criticism from Ford.

But city CFO Rob Rossini defended the spending.

"It’s a big number but we are a very large corporation," he told CBC News.

Rossini said the figure "does not seem exorbitant" since it averages out to $182 per staffer.