Two tightwads City Councillors who spent the least money for their office expense, (one reported zero, the other $ 1,471 for a year) may be subjected to investigation by the City’s Auditor General and the Integrity Commissioner for improperly spending their Own Money or someone else’s instead of the City’s. Either Way it is Against The Council Code of Conduct, contend one Councillor who led the vote for investigation..
Councillor Rob Ford, representing Ward 2, Etobicoke North, known to be a critic of other councillors’ wasteful spending reported Zero for his office expenses, while Dough Holyday, Ward 3 Etobicoke Centre, reported only the amount of $l471.
Each councillor has an expense allowance of $53,l00 a year to send out letters, rent office space in their constituencies or otherwise run their offices.
There are 44 Wards in Toronto each represented by One councillor Plus the Mayor which is elected city wide. Together they formed the City council. A deputy Mayor is picked among the councillors.
Led by councillor Mammoliti ( Ward 7, York West), maybe the BIG spender, councillors on the executive committee struck back at the frugal duo .
Councilman Mammoliti said that it’s obvious from letter sent out by the Two Councillors on their own letterheads that they are ordering Stationery and under council policy, they should be paying for them from the office budget.
Councillor Ford, the Zero expense one, said there is no mystery of who’s is paying his office expense: HE IS. And added that Mammoliti is just wasting the committee time with what seems and obsessions about how he does his job. "I don’t know why he hates me so much. I wish he would move on, and stop worrying his whole life about what Rob Ford does." He also added that the family owns a printing press.
Note: These two Veterans of the City Council had some kind of Scruple in the Past and Mr. Ford is quite a bulky guy and can stand toe to toe with any tough guy in the council. But Perish the thought, this is Toronto. Out of the council room, they’re just like you and me...
Councillor Howard Moscoe, (known to be the top spender, being chairman of Toronto Transit Commission, city biggest run service), agreed that Ford should be charging expenses. "There's a constant stream of printed material out of Councillor Ford's office, and it's completely against the bylaw to go to private sources to do that," he said.
Mammoliti has feuded with Holyday over Holyday's frequent use of space at Etobicoke City Hall. Mammoliti says Holyday uses the space as his constituency offices, but doesn't pay rent for it as he ought to.
In a letter to the executive committee, Holyday – who was out of town yesterday – says he's not required to pay for the space and would be "pleased" to have the integrity commissioner rule on the issue.
http://www.thestar.com/News/article/209046
