Without any doubt, it's a move in the right direction.

But the new remuneration formula to determine Township mayor and councillor pay rates - replacing a formula the resulted in massive and controversial pay hikes a year ago - still has some holes.

Our analysis of the previous funding formula revealed a basic flaw that effectively tied several Lower Mainland municipal councils together in an upward pay spiral [Rich raises poorly understood, Dec. 20, 2012, Langley Advance]. Any pay hike agreed by one council would be reflected in the others, which would be result in an increase for still others, which would cause the original council to receive another raise. and round and round she goes.

The new formula fixes that flaw, as tying the council's pay packets to other - although similar - job descriptions that are determined independently of council.

But there are still some bugs that need working out.

For instance, despite the current austere times - and last year's huge pay increases around the council table - the new formula still manages to provide for another modest increase in pay for mayor and councillors.

Kudos to the council for putting off that raise to a future date - after the next election, when taxpayers will at least be perceived to have had their say on the matter before it is realized. and after some of the council members may not have to deal with it, one way or the other, anyway. (And those who replace them can shrug their shoulders and say, "Not my fault!")

A somewhat more suspicious flaw in the new system is the one that ties council remuneration to any raises obtained by their carefully selected coterie of public and civil servants. but conveniently ignores any pay cuts that MPs, MLAs, and the other senior civil servants may receive.

But then again, how likely is such a pay cut, anyway?