http://www.newsdurhamregion.com/news/art icle/152490Before you vote, it's always good to know who the big spenders are:
Pickering's Ward 3 Regional Councillor Rick Johnson was the biggest spender for the second straight year. He expensed, including his car allowance, $34,523. Each member used the maximum allotment for car allowance, which is $10,800 for council members and $15,147 for the mayor.
Not including mayors, the following represent the biggest spenders in other Durham municipalities. In Whitby, it was Gerry Emm, who spent $13,282. In Ajax, Renrick Ashby spent $7,474. The biggest spender in Oshawa was April Cullen, racking up $19,052. In Clarington, it was Charlie Trim who spent $14,206.
Aside from travel, Coun. Johnson's biggest expense was on his newsletter and postage, costing $7,505. His annual summer newsletter includes updates on roadwork, planning issues, sustainability and City Hall.
Newsletters appear to be a big expense in Pickering. That was also Ward 1 Regional Councillor Bonnie Littley's biggest expense at $4,556. The same went for Ward 1 City Councillor Jennifer O'Connell, who spent $3,137 on it, and Ward 3 City Councillor David Pickles, who spent $2,834 on his newsletter. Coun. Pickles also sat on the Veridian Corporation board of directors, on which he made $14,500, and expensed $993.
Ms. Shields said the expenses are legitimate.
"When their bills come in, we look at them, and if anything seems high, we look for further documentation."
Coun. Johnson's cellphone bill totaled $4,528. Councillor Doug Dickerson had the next highest phone bill, costing $3,864. Coun. Dickerson's expenses and car allowance cost $25,107.
Coun. Dickerson also received $19,500 by sitting on the Veridian board, and spent $9,825 on expenses there. Coun. Johnson argues he has the largest ward in all of Pickering that consists of 22 different phone exchanges, half of which are long distance, explaining the comparatively high cellphone bill.
"The service I provide my community is within budget, in line and it does the job," he said.
He questions why other Pickering councillors, who have much less driving distance to cover, manage to max out the $10,800 in car allowance. He added Pickering's big issues -- the 'Big Pipe', the federal lands designated for a possible airport and Seaton -- fall within his ward.
Pickering lowest spender was Ward 2 Regional Councillor Bill McLean, whose expenses were $14,596 including a car allowance. That's still higher than the bills of Coun. Emm, Coun. Ashby, and Coun. Trim.
Coun. McLean also sat on Veridian, and made $25,400 and expensed $2,445.
Mayor Dave Ryan's biggest expense was on special events and meals, costing $9,394.
The full report is available on the City of Pickering website.
VISIT: www.cityofpickering.com