Expense accounts governed by new set of regulations

Print

E-mail

Text

Councillors' $53,100 expense accounts won't cover a glass of wine at dinner with staff, but donations to local community groups and fees for lawyers and outside consultants are fair game.

That was the word from Toronto Council this week, as they voted to adopt a more consistent set of rules for how city councillors may spend their discretionary budgets. The new rules will stop some, but not all, of the expense claims that have in the past embarrassed councillors: taxi rides to and from their homes, alcohol at meals with staff, brochures sent out close to elections.

Councillors decided that they wanted to keep spending their office budgets in two key areas: providing sponsorships to local organizations and sports teams, and hiring lawyers and consultants to provide second opinions to those provided by city staff and lawyers.

Both amendments were controversial. The motion to allow donations was put forward by Ward 44 (Scarborough East) Councillor Ron Moeser, who argued that some community organizations needed a small boost from their local councillor's office budget to keep going.

Ward 3 (Etobicoke Centre) Councillor Doug Holyday scoffed at the amendment, calling it "electioneering with tax dollars." But council supported Moeser in the end.

The other major change was a decision to let councillors spend office budget dollars seeking legal and professional opinions that might differ from the city's position.

Ward 15 (Eglinton-Lawrence) Councillor Howard Moscoe argued that legal opinions from outside the city were sometimes necessary, particularly when city staff took a position that was counter to that of councillors.

Some councillors argued that allowing the expense would just open the door to a mob of bickering lawyers.

"Lawyers are interesting," mused Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone. "Each of them have an opinion so it's very possible you can get tons of opinions. We would have just introduced another element - lawyers in our midst."

Councillors didn't heed the normally influential Pantalone, and they backed the normally ostracized Case Ootes, who moved that councillors also be allowed to spend cash on other consultants.

"To suggest that staff have all the answers is, I think, highly presumptuous," he said. "That's not a reflection on staff. It may simply mean that they have a particular point of view on an issue that the councillor doesn't agree with. I think a councillor ought to have an opportunity to use that budget to do research."

The rules, which come into effect Oct. 1, will also see councillors' detailed office expenses available at the city's website. Currently, Ward 2 (Etobicoke North) Councillor Rob Ford operates a website that details those expenses.

Ward 33 (Don Valley East) Councillor Shelly Carroll said she welcomed the city website.

"This is going to be a website run by the city clerk's office and it's going to be accountable for its accuracy," she said. "If people want to track us there'll be a place to go and I look forward to being posted on that website, not that I'm especially unhappy with my information (on Councillor Ford's)."