Members of the mayor's inner circle have voted to reduce their salaries and perks.
Brian Bowman campaigned on a pledge to cut the extra pay to executive policy committee councillors by 50 per cent.
Bowman also promised to eliminate councillor perks such as billing alcohol, sports tickets and home cable and Internet to taxpayers.
EPC passed both motions.
The mayor said the salary cut works out to about $12,000 per councillor, per year, for those on EPC.
“I think he’s leading by example, curbing his own benefits and what he can expense,” said Colin Craig from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
But all of Bowman's cost-cutting measures might not get the green light.
EPC did not deal with the mayor's call to end councillors' severance pay.
Instead, it will be left for council to decide without direction from EPC.
“It's a political payout. You know, the vast majority of Winnipeggers - when they choose to quit a job - don't get tens of thousands of dollars,” said Bowman.
But some argue severance pay is necessary, saying councillors aren’t eligible for employment insurance and that defeated councillors need support while they look for another job.
“It is not a political payout. That tries to make it sound like we're sleazy politicians and somehow we're underserving,” said Coun. Ross Eadie (Mynarski).
Despite the resistance to his severance motion, Bowman remains optimistic he can sway enough councillors before next week's vote.
City council will also vote on the EPC salary and expense reductions.
- with a report from Jeff Keele
