St. Albert’s Ken Allred is the lowest paid MLA in the province.
The salaries of all MLA were tabled in the legislature this week and at $129,734 for the 2010-2011 fiscal year Allred’s was the lowest.
By contrast St. Albert’s other MLA, deputy premier Doug Horner, who was in cabinet for part of the time covered in the report, made $184,083.
That salary includes an $89,000 base salary, plus additional money for work on legislative and government committees. Allred said he doesn’t mind being on the bottom of that ladder.
“That has been the case in previous years and I haven't really had any difficulty with that.”
Allred was the only government MLA in the bottom ten. The highest paid MLAs were former premier Ed Stelmach at $221,438, speaker Ken Kowalski at $205,407 and former Liberal leader David Swann at $203,985.
Allred was also reimbursed for his travel as an MLA to the tune of $10,956 and because the report lists all funds received from the government, $7,000 Allred received as part of a pension from previous government work is also listed.
Allred said the pay structure, which sets a base and then expands on it for committee work, is a good one.
“I think it is justified that people who sit on more committees get more pay.”
The legislature sat late into the evening many days over the last session and Allred said he believes MLA pay reflects the long hours the work involves.
“They don't really understand the number of hours that you put in.”
He also said he believes the structure of MLA pay, which includes a portion that is tax-free also makes sense.
The government has appointed former Supreme Court Justice Jack Major to do a review of MLA pay. Allred said he is going to be looking at pay in the civil service, other jurisdictions and other comparable positions.
He said expects that report will recommend a raise.
“My anticipation of that report is that it going to come out and say that MLAs are underpaid.”
Allred, who sits on the public accounts committee at the legislature, said he has lately been exposed to the salaries of the senior ranks of the civil service and he was surprised.
“I am astounded at how much some of these people are paid.”
Major has until the end of March to submit his report to Kowalski with his recommendations.
