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Saskatoon city council will take home the same pay next year, but it will cost Saskatoon taxpayers more.

Council voted unanimously Tuesday to increase their salaries next year to account for the elimination by the federal government of a tax exemption for one-third of elected officials’ income.

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“So the take-home pay if this is approved would be the same for mayor and councillors,” Coun. Darren Hill said at council’s governance and priorities committee meeting.

In 2019, though, it will require about $122,000 more to pay for the increases.

The increases would bump the mayor’s annual salary to equal that of a Saskatoon provincial cabinet minister, from $123,379 to $145,152 in 2019.

Mayor Charlie Clark’s current salary is set at 85 per cent of that of a cabinet minister to account for the tax-free portion. Councillors, who are considered part time, are paid 46 per cent of the mayor’s salary.