City councillors spending concerns

Some Hamilton city councillors are being criticized over how they’re choosing to spend taxpayer money. Most councillors get a discretionary fund of $100 000 each year that’s supposed to be spent on small infrastructure projects. One taxpayer went through these spread sheets to see how councillors are spending this money and made a presentation to the audit and finance committee today arguing that some of the spending is not infrastructure related and she’s calling for more transparency.

“I came across hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on sponsoring events, paying salaries allegedly at some outside organizations.” Viv Saunders.

Councillors in wards 1 through 8 get an extra $100 thousand per year of discretionary funds. Some have used it to pay for benches and new street lamps along Concession street. Or small beautification projects like concrete planters on Walnut street, but Saunders told the audit finance and administration committee today that some councillors are abusing their discretionary powers, especially in election years. Pointing out that $60 000 was spent on the Hamilton Arts Council website in councillor Jason Farr’s ward.

“Mostly marketing website for Hamilton Arts Council and it was prior to my work with enhancing arts funding. So at the time we were one of the lowest funded cities in Canada.” Jason Farr.

Last year councillor Terry Whitehead spent $15 000 of that money on sponsoring a hockey team trip and a boy scout trip.

“It was all my intent to go to council and move the motions as I have in the past and receive the funding but during that process I was told I didn’t need to, so I followed that advice and it was funded by the area rating dollars to facilitate and assist ward 8 residents that were in need.”

After Saunders presentation, councillor Brenda Johnson put forward a motion to tighten up some of the language so that everybody will understand what those funds were for and what they should be used for.