SOOKE, B.C. -- The Grumpy Taxpayer$ of Greater Victoria is calling out Sooke’s mayor and council for what it says is a disgraceful move: giving themselves a 5 per cent pay increase during a pandemic.

“Shame on them,” said John Treleaven, chair of the Grumpy Taxpayer$ of Greater Victoria.

The municipality’s mayor and council voted in favour of the raise Wednesday night.

“I think it’s quite disgraceful at this time, when the pandemic is still taking down businesses and creating unheard of levels of unemployment across the country,” said Treleaven.

Two years ago, Sooke council gave itself a 50 per cent raise after a 10-year salary freeze. That was to allow it to catch up with other municipalities of similar size.

“At that time, we were getting $10,000 a year,” said Sooke councillor Al Beddows.

That raise brought councillors’ pay up to $15,000 a year and the mayor’s pay to $30,000.

“The average for a councillor in B.C. is roughly $22,000 a year and we’re now at $15,000,” said Beddows. “We’ll go to $15,750 or so for this next year.”

CTV News talked to people on the street in Sooke Thursday and heard a lot of support for the raise.

“Absolutely I think it’s justified,” said one woman. “I feel like $15,000 is not a whole for anyone to make in a year.”

“I don’t have a problem with it because they should be getting renumeration that everyone else is getting,” said another man.

“It’s a really awkward topic because it’s the only place in the world where you are responsible for voting in your own wage, which makes things incredibly awkward,” said Sooke councillor Megan McMath. “But Sooke is incredibly behind.”

McMath says she can spend anywhere between 30 and 40 hours a week on council-related work.

“We are basically available to people 24/7, and so you’re not restricted to certain business hours,” said McMath. “You’re on all the time and it’s a really challenging job.”

“I do love it, but I just think it should be reflected appropriately.”

That’s not the way the Grumpy Taxpayer$ see it.

“I would suggest that sober second thought be applied to this and the motion be rescinded,” said Treleaven.

It doesn’t look like that is going to happen. In fact, council has asked municipal staff to come up with a formula for wage adjustments in the future.