Lubartów, August 2019
How much for the representation?
Faithful to the Constitution and the law of the Republic of Poland, I solemnly vow to perform the duties of a councilor with dignity, honesty and fairness, bearing in mind the good of my commune and its inhabitants.
So much for the oath of the councilor who is obliged to be guided by the good of the commune self-government community.
We could look for local governments in which diets are lower than in Lubartów, but firstly, that would be manipulation, and secondly - the mechanism is also important and we pay attention to it. There are several ways to shape the amount of diets. One way is to adopt a ministerial base and define a percentage of that amount for all city council functions. Starting from 100% for the chairman. The second way is the percentage of the chairman's diet with the same basis of calculation, and the other functions are derived from this highest diet. The third way is to use the minimum wage as the basis for the calculation.
In the first two cases, this amount has not been increased since 2017. The previous raise was around PLN 20. It can therefore be assumed that even in the case of valorization, the raises of council members will not be significant. However, when the minimum wage becomes the basis - without adopting controversial resolutions, without public discussion and special measures - councilors are guaranteed an annual raise.
Just like in Lubartów. And just like in Lubartów, councilors willingly started their term of office by taking care of the common good of their own wallets. Does this mean that we have no right to express our dissatisfaction because others are doing the same?
The self-government community is made up of residents, and therefore also the aforementioned - councilors. Who should be guided by the good of the community. But do we understand this good in the same way?
How much this good was valued by the councilors of Lubartów, we can read in the resolution. We do not cite the content of the draft here, because already at the stage of presentation at the session, the applicants submitted a number of amendments, as we understand it - in accordance with the legal opinion, but so far the Mayor of the City refused to provide us with this document. Therefore, from September 1, 2019, the Councilor, in connection with his function, is entitled to a monthly allowance in the following amount:
l) for a Council member not working in a standing committee - 30% of the basis referred to in § 1 section 2; currently (it was not present in the previous resolution)
2) for persons working in one standing committee of the Council - 35% of the basis referred to in § 1 section 2; that is currently PLN 788 (previously 20%, according to the base - PLN 403)
3) for persons working in two standing committees of the Council - 45% of the basis referred to in § 1 section 2; that is currently PLN 1013 (previously 25% of the maximum diet rate, according to the base - PLN 503)
4) for the chairman of the standing committee of the Council - 55% of the basis referred to in § 1 section 2; that is currently PLN 1238 (previously 30% of the maximum diet rate, according to the base - PLN 604)
5) for the Vice-chairman of the Supervisory Board - 55% of the basis referred to in § 1 section 2; that is currently PLN 1238 (previously 35% of the maximum diet rate, according to the base - PLN 705)
6) for the Chairman of the Council - 75% of the basis referred to in § 1 section 2; that is currently PLN 1688 (previously 80% of the maximum diet rate, according to the base PLN 1610)
7) for a member of the ad hoc committee of the Council, the allowance is increased by 5% of the basis referred to in § 1 section 2 for the month in which the committee worked.
The basis for the new resolution is the amount of the minimum wage. Previously, it was the base amount for persons holding state managerial positions and, remaining frozen in 2019, was the same as in 2017 and 2018, i.e. PLN 1,789.42. In communes from 15 thousand. up to 100,000 people, the maximum diet is PLN 2013.10 (75% of the maximum amount of the diet, i.e. 2684.13).
Currently, the councilors have adopted as a basis the amount of the minimum wage.
If the basis remained unchanged, the councilors, apart from the Chairman of the Council, would receive raises, but it seems that they would be unsatisfactory. What would it look like?
We are not talking about increases only in the context of the local government of Lubartów.
We also asked others about the amount of the approved diets.
The City Hall in Bolesławiec informed us that the amount of the allowances is regulated by the resolution of October 31, 2012 and the amounts are as follows:
- Chairman of the City Council - 2013 PLN, (100% of the base)
- Vice-chairman of the City Council - PLN 1610,
- Chairman of the Committee - PLN 1409,
- Vice-chairman of the Committee - PLN 1308,
- Councilor without office - PLN 1207.
The resolution does not provide for any allowances for sitting on the City Council Committees.
In turn, in Braniewo, it looks like this:
- Chairman of the City Council - 2013.10 PLN,
- Vice-chairman of the City Council - PLN 1066.94,
- Chairman of the Permanent Committee - PLN 1066.94,
- Councilor without office - PLN 845.50.
Resolution from 2019-03-27, score 14: 0
The City Office in Chojnice sent us a detailed list. And here we see a diet of 100% of the base. The resolution was adopted on December 17, 2018. by a vote of 15: 6. The highest diet is PLN 2013.10, the lowest - PLN 926.02.
Gorzów Wielkopolski decided that it is not possible to calculate how much he spent on the diet of councilors in the current term of office within the prescribed period, because it is time-consuming. They will answer us by October 29, 2019.
The resolution was adopted on December 19, 2018 by 23 councilors present, 16 councilors voted for, 4 against and 3 abstained. The resolution "widened" the agenda.
The City Hall in Hrubieszów , like in Chojnice, sent us a detailed list. The resolution was adopted on February 26, 2019 with 10 votes for, 2 against and 2 abstentions.
The highest diet is PLN 1,557, the lowest - PLN 841.
In Jędrzejów, we have prepared lists for individual months.
On June 25, a session of the City Council in Jędrzejów was held. The councilors increased their diets by about 300 zlotys. 19 votes in favor, 2 councilors absent.
A resolution from 2007 is in force in Kalisz .
As a councilor, he / she is entitled to a diet in the amount of:
a) Chairman of the Supervisory Board 100% of the calculation basis
b) Vice-chairman of the Supervisory Board 90% of the calculation basis
c) Chairman of the Council Committee 75% of the calculation basis
d) Vice-chairman of the Council Committee 55% of the calculation basis
Diet with point b, c, d applies only to one function performed by a councilor.
The highest amount in August was PLN 2,684.13, the lowest - PLN 1,207.88.
Diets up to the maximum amount provided for in the regulations (PLN 2,684.13) are entitled to councilors in the largest communes within a month - over 100,000. residents.
A resolution from 2009 is in force in Kętrzyn . 75% of one and a half times the base amount specified in the budget act for persons holding state managerial positions is simply the maximum possible amount of the allowance provided for the Chairman of the Council, i.e. the currently mentioned PLN 2013.10.
Others receive 1) the vice-chairman of the Council - 70%, 2) the chairman of the Audit Committee and the Housing Committee - 65%, 3) members of the Audit Committee and the Housing Committee - 60%, 4) other councilors - 50%. in relation to the chairman's allowance.
The reduction in the allowance for absenteeism does not differentiate that absenteeism is worth more than absenteeism.
In Koło , the highest diet is PLN 1,610.48, the lowest - PLN 1,107.21. After the increase, in 2011, which amounted to over 50%, the local media reported that out of 20 councilors present in the Town Hall as many as 14 were "for" and only one councilor was against.
When asked by us for a comment, the councilors refuse to answer and do not want to judge the granting of such a generous "New Year's gift". They take water in their mouths. They claim that they did not know anything beforehand and were allegedly surprised by the proposal of the President of the Council. (…) In addition, the councilors did not want to discuss this issue and had no comments on the proposal for a raise. They did not seem surprised at all .
What do the commenters say?
The 2015 resolution is in force in Krosno Odrzańskie . Here, too, we have the aforementioned 75%, one and a half times the base amount, which is the maximum amount of the allowance for the Chairman. Vice-chairman of the Council, chairman of the committee and councilors working in two committees receive 37% of the base amount, i.e. PLN 993.13, others - 33%, i.e. PLN 885.76.
The Resolution of 2007 is in force in Łomża . The basis is the maximum amount of diet that can be obtained.
1) councilor - 45%
2) councilor - Chairman of the Committee - 65%
3) councilor - Deputy Chairman of the Committee - 50%
4) councilor - vice-chairman of the Council - 75%
5) councilor - chairman of the Council - 100%
Interestingly, the diet is due to councilors for work in two committees. If the councilor works only in one of them - it is reduced by 40%. In addition, the allowance is not payable at all if in a given month there was no session of the Council or a meeting of any committee of which the councilor is a member. There is also no differentiation of deductions depending on whether they relate to absences from the committee or from the session.
In 2017, Łomża councilors made an attempt to change the resolution. Firstly, the number of standing committees was reduced, secondly - 7 councilors "from the opposition" submitted a motion to lower the amount of allowances for councilors. It assumed a reduction in the amount of diets by 23% throughout the year. The problem arises from the fact that the city of Łomża is in a situation where we constantly take out loans to pay off loans and interest. (...) If we are talking about rationalizing expenses and saving, it is not a problem to start with yourself. And these are clear and measurable savings, and not only making savings as it was done in the previous session, that in fact deprived people of the possibility of more active work (it is about reducing the City Council's substantive committees from 8 to 5 during the last session - he said councilman, Tadeusz Zaremba. (Source: wzasiegu.pl) One of the councilors asked for the item to be removed from the agenda. 14 councilors voted for, 8 were against and 1 abstained.
Another approach to changing the resolution - September 2019. Today, the chairman of the Łomża City Council has 100% of this amount, i.e. over 2,000. PLN per month, and an ordinary councilor 45%, i.e. less than PLN 906. (...) - No councilor, apart from the chairman of the Council, will receive more than 1000 zlotys a month - explains Domasiewicz.
- The intention is to adjust the amount of the diet to the definition. The diet is due for lost earnings in connection with the exercise of the mandate of a councilor - emphasizes the councilor Zbigniew Prosiński.
He calculated that the vice-chairman of the Supervisory Board who participates in two committees and one Supervisory Board meeting receives PLN 1,500 per month. Councilor Prosiński explained that it is not much less than the lowest national salary, which is due for 40 hours of work a week.
The calculations of councilors show that after introducing the changes, the city's budget would save 7,000 on the councilors' diets. PLN per month and over 350 thousand. PLN until the end of the term of office (Source: 4lomza.pl)
One and a half thousand zlotys instead of the previous two thousand in the case of the chairman of the council and 800 zlotys instead of 900 zlotys - these are the proposals of reduced diets in the Łomża city council.
The deputy chairman of the Council asked for this item to be removed from the agenda in connection with the parliamentary elections, believing that it was a political matter and councilors could return to it after the elections. Voting: for 13, against 8, one person abstained. The project was lost.
The councilors in Mława adopted a "diet" resolution in May 2019. The basis this time is the maximum amount of the diet provided for in the regulations.
The previous resolution was in force from 2006. In this case, the councilors' diet is also reduced, regardless of whether they are absent from the session or the committee. In that previous resolution, the basis was the minimum wage. Hence, the amount of the diet for all councilors was PLN 2013.10. In March 2019, councilors from Mława dealt with the citizens' petition regarding the reduction of the diet of councilors by PLN 500. The issue concerns the election promises that were reminded of the councilors in January this year (after: mlawainfo.pl).
Ultimately, 15 councilors voted to find the petition unfounded, and 4 were against. Despite the rejection of the petition, the councilors declared that they would deal with the matter. A draft resolution was unanimously passed in May 2019 on the amount of allowances.
To sum up, the reduction in diets amounted to (depending on the functions of council members) approximately: PLN 200, PLN 400, PLN 800.
Effect? Mława councilors will receive monthly allowances (lump sum) in the following amounts:
PLN 2013 - for the chairman of the city council - 100 percent of the base
PLN 1,811 - for the deputy chairman of the city council - 90 percent of the base
PLN 1,811 - for the chairman of the city council committee - 90 percent of the base
PLN 1610 - for the vice-chairman of the city council committee - 80 percent of the base
PLN 1207 - for councilors without functionaries - 60 percent of the base
Nakło nad Notecią - resolution of December 3, 2018 - unanimously, with one councilor absent. Base - base amount.
Diet amounts:
- for the President of the City Council 100% - 2013.10 PLN
- for the Deputy Chairmen of the City Council - 95% - PLN 1,912.45
- for the Chairmen of Permanent Committees - 90% - PLN 1,811.79
- for other Councilors who do not perform the functions specified in points 1-3 - 75% of the amount - PLN 1,509.83
The previous resolution was in force from 2014. And here the councilors also evaluate their absence at the session differently than at the committee.
Likewise in Opoczno , the reductions in diets are different. The basis for calculating the diet is also the base amount, and the resolution in force was adopted in 2016. The highest diet is PLN 2013.10, the lowest - PLN 966.00. There are also allowances for work in ad hoc committees.
The Council of Ostrów Mazowiecka adopted a resolution on the amount of allowances on December 19, 2018. The basis here is the minimum wage. A councilor who is a member of at least one standing committee receives PLN 1237.50. The percentage rates of the remaining councilors were adopted by a resolution of 2002.
As you can see, in many local governments, councilors decided to take care of their common good in the first place. As you can see, in many local governments the amounts of allowances are higher than in Lubartów, but should this really be a justification? Perhaps the primary justification should be the wealth of the commune and the budget capacity?
As far as we are concerned, the amount of the increase is actually a secondary issue. In this resolution, it is important for us to change the basis for the calculation, because in this way the councilors guarantee themselves annual increases without any interventions. The issue of election declarations is also important. We sign the justification for the request to hold a referendum:
... the councilors passed a resolution which grossly increases their salaries. We emphasize once again that the basis for submitting the application is primarily the fact that the majority of councilors did not keep their election promises at the very beginning of their term of office. Hence - loss of trust in our representatives.
We, as residents, constitute the self-governing community of the commune. The community whose good should be guided by the councilors. They should also maintain a permanent relationship with the residents. Accept residents' postulates, or at least take them into account.
During the election campaign, most of the candidates sitting in the City Council declared their willingness to discuss and consult on the issues of the resolutions adopted - especially those with far-reaching financial consequences. We are talking not about compulsory consultations, ordered at the request of the Mayor, but about consultations in constituencies with residents represented by individual councilors. Some councilors do not provide their contact details at all, and contact through the City Council Office, in a situation where only the Chairman of the Council is on duty, cannot be called "maintaining a permanent relationship with the residents."
The election promises were not kept. The councilors did not consult with the residents of the resolution on leaving the Communal Union of Municipalities of the Lubartów Region, especially the consequences of that exit with total inactivity of the authority as regards the creation of local law in the field of waste management. As in the case of the resolution specifying the Regulations of maintaining order and cleanliness in the commune - consultations were insufficient, taking into account the proposals for far-reaching changes in the field of waste management in the city.
Most of the election declarations were based on concern for the household budgets of residents - reducing the prices of garbage disposal. Meanwhile, instead of fulfilling the pre-election obligations (e.g. during the August session, councilors could lower the sewage fees), most councilors decided to increase their diets.
Importantly, none of the councilors who submitted the draft resolution on the increase in allowances during the election campaign raised the topic of the amount of allowances, while the majority pointed to the need to care for rational financial management and reduce fees for residents.
As one of the candidates for a councilor, currently a councilor and co-initiator of the resolution on increasing the diet stated: "It cannot be that money is wasted on a secondary project, when there are no new roads in the city, and the old ones resemble Swiss cheese."
During the campaign, not one of the future councilors informed that instead of lowering the fees, he would be the first to submit a draft resolution on an increase in allowances. This is one of the reasons why the inhabitants of Lubartów felt deceived. As voters have the right to revise their election and verify the composition of the council, according to the initiators, the best form for the City Council to obtain a certain "vote of confidence" or "vote of no confidence" will be to hold a local referendum.
We do not intend to appropriate the field of activity of the councilors. It is the councilors who pass resolutions on the amount and method of calculating their own diets. We oversee the adoption of the resolution only in the context of election declarations. What, as residents, we have every right to.