FORT ST. JOHN, BC -- Fort St. John City Councillors have voted against giving themselves a raise.

Members of Council agreed in their Regular Meeting today that it wouldn’t be appropriate to increase their own pay with a general election in October, and without having seen this year’s budget.

The proposed raises came from a report by an independent HR consultant. It proposed to increase the mayor’s salary by 3%, and increase councillors’ pay to 40% of the mayor’s salary. It also proposed several new benefits.

Altogether, the increases would have drawn an extra $44, 314.75 from the city’s annual budget.

Council did pass a motion requiring a salary review once per term, with the results reported at least two years before the next election.