Councillors are entitled, in accordance with the applicable legal provisions, to allowances serving as compensation for the time devoted to statutory activities in fulfilling their mandate as city councillors. Resolution No. 5 of the Bolesławiec City Council session of 20 December 1994 regulated the allowances as follows: Chair of the City Council – 4 million (old) złoty, that is, 400 złoty. Members of the City Executive Board – 2 million (old) złoty. Deputy Chair of the City Council and Committee Chairs – 1.4 million (old) złoty, that is, 140 złoty. Other councillors – 1.1 million (old) złoty, that is, 110 złoty.
In addition, members elected to committees from outside the council – 300,000 (old) złoty, that is, 30 złoty – received payment for participating in sessions, committee meetings or inspections.
Is that a lot or a little? Here, allowances are fixed (monthly); other local governments pay for each meeting or session, sometimes up to 1 million złoty. In Wrocław, members of the City Executive Board receive 23 million złoty each (the Mayor of Wrocław earns 53.5 million złoty). In Legnica, in 1994, the Chair of the City Council received a monthly flat-rate allowance equal to 130% of the monthly salary, that is, approximately 7.5 million złoty; the deputies received 4.7 million złoty, social members of the City Executive Board more than 5 million złoty, and councillors more than 2.5 million złoty. In September 1994, a Kraków councillor “earned” 2.350 million złoty. Councillors in Lubań, Lwówek, Zgorzelec and even the surrounding municipalities also received higher allowances. We are rather stingy (or perhaps simply economical) when it comes to paying honoraria...