The Editor,
Re. “Who else gets to vote themselves $48k for leaving?” (Letters, The Tri-City News, July 25), “Mayor shouldn’t get $48k” (Letters, July 18) and “$48K payout for Moore when he leaves office” (July 11).
I am writing to support Mayor Greg Moore’s $48,000 severance referenced by letter writers in The Tri-City News.
While I am no fan of bloated government spending, and our small local business has seen more than a 325% increase in our property taxes since 2008, I do not fault the mayor his severance.
This is money that has been accrued and accounted for since council agreed to this policy, much like any other benefit offered to staff and employees in any organization.
In his term, Port Coquitlam has had a full time mayor who, in my experience, has been responsive to any of our business concerns as well as very dedicated to improving the city, creating interest in and “growing” Port Coquitlam, and guiding a council that I can say will listen to any concern and act upon that, whether or not they agree on those concerns.
Mayor Moore leaves after 16 years of service on council with no pension, and close to two decades of working life in front of him. The severance works out to six months pay, quite reasonable in most workplaces.
Chris Coakley, GM,
PoCo Building Supplies
