Communications spending by council jumps in 2018
Saskatoon city councillors’ combined communications spending inched above $70,000 for the first time in 2018, while Mayor Charlie Clark spent slightly more than the year before.
Councillors claimed $72,790.75 in communications expenses last year, while Clark claimed $102,702.41. Each of the 10 councillors has a $10,000 communications budget, while the mayor’s budget is $128,000.
In 2017, councillors claimed $47,491.68, and Clark claimed $99,967.62.
The mayor’s spending is mostly split between his full-time policy and communications adviser and his contract with a social media manager.
Councillors charge for a variety of expenses, including newsletters and flyers, web-based communications, tickets to events and public display ads.
Three spent less than half of their budget in 2018: councillors Sarina Gersher, Darren Hill and Mairin Loewen. Four spent more than $9,000: councillors Troy Davies, Randy Donauer, Bev Dubois and Zach Jeffries.
In 2016, an election year during which the communications allowance was suspended for a month, Clark and his predecessor Don Atchison claimed $75,911.95, while councillors claimed $49,951.95.
Atchison spent $114,886.61 in 2015 and $108,213.54 in 2014; councillors spent $65,505.96 in 2015 and $64,664.14 in 2014.
Atchison spent $84,466 in 2013, the first year of the communications allowance, while councillors claimed just above $42,000.