Forget Giamboner...Concentrate On The Big Spenders

Giambrone makes big claim for transport expenses

One of Coun. Adam Giambrone's taxi chits.

Updated: Wed Mar. 17 2010 7:52:46 PM

ctvtoronto.ca

The list of expenses racked up by the chair of the Toronto Transit Commission last year shows that sometimes, taking a cab is the better way.
The office expenses of Coun. Adam Giambrone (Ward 18, Davenport) show he spent $3,057.70 of his $53,100 annual office budget on transportation, in 2009. One cab ride home came after an episode of his "Ride The Rocket" television show, which is shot on a moving streetcar.
His overall expenses were $41,831.90. His biggest expenses were:

• printing, postage and courier - $14,591.24
• city hall, civic centre rent and constituency office expenses - $13,625.61
• other - $5,985.47

Giambrones's staff told CTV Toronto he was in meetings all morning and unable to comment on his office expenses. Giambrone later sent an email statement: "Clearly there are not enough taxi bills submitted for this to be my main mode of transport. There are, however, times when taxis are needed due to time constraints or what I am carrying with me (i.e. files). All expenses fit within council policy."
Neighbouring Coun. Cesar Palacio (Ward 19, Davenport), had total expenses of $48,411.21. However, he claimed no transportation expenses.

Coun. Joe Pantalone (Ward 19, Trinity-Spadina),  who is running for mayor, had total expenses of $42,149.25. His transportation claims totalled $196.92. 

Councillor defends calendar donation By DON PEAT, Toronto SunGiving a $500 donation to a calendar of tree photos is an excellent use of taxpayers’ money, says Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone.

Coun. Giorgio Mammoliti (Ward 7, York West), another mayoral candidate, claimed expenses of $49,059.63. He had transportation claims of $474.40.
The biggest spenders were Couns.:

• Michael Walker (Ward 22, St. Paul's) - $53,052.09
• Adam Vaughan (Ward 20, Trinity-Spadina) - $52,798
• John Parker (Ward 26, Don Valley West) - $52,158.44
• Janet Davis (Ward 31, Beaches-East York) - $51,383.39
• Joe Mihevc (Ward 21, St. Paul's) - $51,796.85
• Sandra Bussin (Ward 32, Beaches-East York) - $50,728.02

The thriftiest were Couns.:

• Frances Nunziata (Ward 11, York-South Weston) - $5,949.31
• Doug Holyday (Ward 3, Etobicoke Centre) $2,396.18

Coun. Rob Ford (Ward 2, Etobicoke North) claimed no expenses. He reported spending $708 of his own money.
Holyday told CTV Toronto this about Giambrone's expenses: "That's totally ridiculous. I don't think anybody around here should be charging $3,000 in cab fares, but that only happens because the budget allows them up to $53,000," he said.
Holyday said if the budget were cut back to $15,000 or $20,000, "they wouldn't have the room to do these kinds of things."
The average expense claim by a Toronto councillor for 2009 was  $37,708.01. If you took out Ford, who is an outlier, that rises to $38,584.95.
The median expense claim, the point at which half the claims are above the figure and half below, is $43,238.59
In 2008, the average claim by a councillor (including Ford's zero) was $36,175.35. The median was $39,978.48.
That means the average expense claim rose 4.2 per cent and the median went up almost 8.2 per cent from 2008 to 2009.
There is a proposal in the 2010 budget to cut the office budget of councillors by five per cent.

A CUT OF AT LEAST 20% IS MORE REASONABLE...
With a report from CTV Toronto's Alicia Markson