Councilors Skating On THIN ICE?

...we should only hope and pray.

Toronto's election penalty box: Levy

Incumbents have all the advantages — including free ice time

A month ago a volunteer on George Smitherman’s campaign contacted Scarborough parks officials to book ice time for the skating parties he’s hosting this week.
The permit — costing about $145 per hour of ice time — was promptly issued by e-mail for Scarborough Village and McGregor Park arenas.
But when the volunteer called North York for a similar permit, she was immediately informed that city facilities — including rinks — could not be booked by candidates running for councillor, or the mayor’s job, in an election year.
A call back to the Scarborough District confirmed this was indeed correct and the permit needed to be rescinded, says Stefan Baranski, spokesman for the Smitherman campaign.
“I have been told just today that MPPs or councillors are not allowed to book during an election year ... I will have to cancel the permit ... please accept my apologies,” writes Cheryl Place, permit officer for Parks, Forestry and Recreation to the Smitherman campaign on Feb. 11.
Evidently, however, the same rules do not apply to sitting councillors.
Councillors Janet Davis, Paula Fletcher, Shelley Carroll and Glenn De Baeremaeker — all making a bid for re-election in October — all hosted free skating parties at city rinks last month.
Fletcher’s skating party was held on Feb. 21 at Riverdale rink. In her newsletter inviting constituents to the party, she writes: “Free hot dogs and hot chocolate and you can skate to the sounds of Deejay Scootz.”
The 7th annual Davis skating party was held at East York Memorial Arena on Feb. 28 while Carroll’s was part of her Lunar New Year event on Feb. 21 at Pleasant View Community Centre.
De Baeremaeker’s occurred on Valentine’s Day at Centennial Recreation Centre.
The four councillors, all members of Mayor David Miller’s inner circle, were able to pay for whatever goodies or entertainment they provided out of their $53,100 office budgets.
To add insult to injury, it seems none of them were required pay for ice time that is at a premium in this city.
Only De Baeremaeker could be reached for comment yesterday.
He said he did get a permit for the 1,000 people who attended but did not pay for that permit or the ice time.
Brenda Patterson, general manager of parks, forestry and recreation, confirmed Wednesday sitting councillors are permitted to continue with their “normal community events” — as long as they are not promoted as election events — until the cutoff date, which is Labour Day or Sept. 6 this year.
“They are still acting in their capacity as councillor ... doing all the duties they’re elected to do,” she said.
After some checking, Patterson advised that Davis, Carroll and Fletcher had their parties “in conjunction with” the community free skates at the respective arenas — meaning no permits were issued for the events and no rink time charged.
I am not writing this because of concerns the Smitherman campaign was forced to pay a little extra to hold his events at private rinks.
Rather, this is yet another blatant example of the fact sitting councillors have all the advantages in an election year.
I’d have to be deaf, dumb and blind not to make a connection between such community events and rabid electioneering, even if the word “election” is not used.
It’s the same thing with each councillor’s $53,100 office budget which can be used by councillors — with impunity until Sept. 6 — to send out glossy newsletters or calendars chock full of their pictures, hold barbecues and other parties this summer and to donate to ratepayers and tenants groups (which is blatant vote-buying at its best).
It’s not enough that most of these has-beens already have name recognition. Rest assured, the pre-election material, created at taxpayer expense, is already flowing fast and furiously here at Socialist Silly Hall.
Sigh.
Incumbency does indeed have its rewards.