At budget committee discussions Monday night, Moose Jaw’s mayor attempted to get his monthly car allowance in line with the city manager’s.

The city manager will get $500 a month as a car allowance every month but the mayor only gets $100.

“And I would argue that the amount of travel that I do concerning city business is the same as the city manager’s, and it should come in line with the city manager’s,” said Mayor Fraser Tolmie.

Tolmie defended his motion, as part of an economic development strategy and community outreach.

Coun. Heather Eby said the request was too much.

“I’m not diminishing what the mayor is doing. He’s doing a good job of what he’s doing, but I feel that that is a little rich for what I can support at this point, without any substantiation, Eby said.

Tolmie said the vehicle allowance covers the vehicle, plates, mileage, insurance, damages and maintenence.

This $500 per month would be on top of the rate of mileage for out of town travel the mayor might be doing on behalf of the city.

The motion was defeated.