A heated exchange over councillor compensation took center stage at the Aurora council meeting on Tuesday night. Councillor Wendy Gaertner and Mayor Tom Mrakas engaged in a strained conversation following a report indicating that the city's compensation structure for sitting politicians was below market value compared to other municipalities.
Dispute Over Salary Review Findings
Gaertner confronted Mrakas, stating, “Now that we have had two salary reviews about council compensation, both findings say that Aurora councillors are extremely underpaid and, Mr. Mayor, I believe in various forms of media and maybe in person, you said that council members were 'greedy' for wanting a raise. I would say that you’re completely wrong on that.”
Mrakas strongly denied ever using the word “greedy.” “I never used that word,” he said. “But I would expect an apology on that, councillor.” Gaertner refused to back down, replying, “You expect an apology from me for calling us greedy? Absolutely not, I believe that you should apologize to me.”
Mayor Threatens to Cut Microphone
As the exchange continued, the mayor warned Gaertner that he would cut her microphone if she did not apologize. However, the councillor never apologized, and she was allowed to continue speaking. “I find you very interesting, Mr. Mayor,” Gaertner said. “I find you very interesting too,” Mrakas responded. “Good, we agree on that then,” Gaertner replied. “We agree on something.”
Salary Comparisons with Nearby Municipalities
The report compared Aurora councillor salaries to those in three nearby municipalities: Whitchurch-Stouffville, Newmarket, and East Gwillimbury. Aurora councillors currently earn a base salary of $42,165 annually. In contrast, Newmarket councillors earned $55,894 in 2025; five Stouffville councillors earn a base of $56,740; and East Gwillimbury councillors earned a base of $47,200 in 2024.
Mayor Mrakas earns a base salary of $114,647. For comparison, Newmarket Mayor John Taylor received a base pay of $121,132 in 2025; East Gwillimbury Mayor Virginia Hackson earned $75,398 in 2024; and Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt received a base salary of approximately $115,594 in 2025. All figures are before additional remuneration, and current-day salaries were not available in some cases.
Overall, councillors appear to align on compensation closer to market rates and would support “fair and equitable compensation reflective of the responsibilities, expectations, and demands” of elected office.
