City Councillors Have New Spending Rules
Posted July 17, 2008 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
One Toronto city councillor expensed a bunny suit for a parade. Another bought a pricey cappuccino machine and passed the bill off to taxpayers. Others spent thousands on boozy dinners and limo rides.
With City Hall routinely pointing out how cash-strapped Toronto is, news of the extravagant spending prompted public outcry, and now it appears those cries have been heard.
City council cracked the whip on unruly councillor spending Thursday, setting a new set of rules concerning how they can utilize their $53,000 annual office budgets.
Local representatives are no longer allowed to expense mileage to and from City Hall, charge alcohol with meals, or use their office funds to bid on silent auctions or purchase raffle tickets, according to the 66-page policy that council approved.
Meal expenses have also been cut to $500 a year, but there’s no limit on restaurant claims for hospitality purposes.
“I think we had a situation where the rules weren’t clear and there were different expectations about how money was spent,” said councillor Karen Stintz. “I think we’ve clarified those rules and I expect there to be a lot less controversy moving forward.”
All councillors will need to present receipts, and each expense will be posted online, updated every four months.
“If you can live with it being on that website for all your constituents to see any day of the year, that’s your judgment call,” adds Councillor Shelley Carroll.
Some still weren’t satisfied. Councillor Rob Ford is the most vocal opponent of what he considers unnecessary spending of tax payers money.
“All it is, is smoke and mirrors,” he said with a shrug. “Councillors who make $100,000 a year still have an expense account of $53,000 to go have free dinners, free lunches.”
Ford already posts details of his colleagues’ spending on his website.
To monitor the status of agenda items during Standing Committee and Community Council meetings, click here.
