Councillors drive up property tax bills

Re: Regional councillors’ expenses

I have had the opportunity of serving on boards and commissions federally, provincially and through three terms on regional council. In each case members were subject to clear, fair and monitored regulations on mileage, accommodations and meals ( alcohol excluded) and requested or related events.

I am therefore surprised and disturbed by the blatant misuse of the Niagara Region policy for councillors.

The liberal interpretation and therefore abuse of the expense policy appears to have led to innovative and widespread invoicing of the Niagara taxpayer for questionable activities. ( The Standard Jan. 23, Jan. 25,

Feb. 3).

Reported are examples of councillors’ attendance and financial support of organizations and charities being charged to the regional taxpayer. As professor David Siegel of Brock University noted ( The Standard, Jan. 18) one- third of councillors’ salary is tax- free with the intent that this should support community activity ( tickets and mileage). Frankly I choose which charities I support and do not want a councillor’s choices on my tax bill.

Why should the regional taxpayer be responsible for legal bills for bad behaviour? Certainly this responsibility rests with the offender.

Who monitors roaming charges on councillors’ cellphones? There are more cost effective and intelligent ways to handle roaming charges and it makes one wonder if this usage has anything to do with their positions as regional councillors.

It begs the question of how this free- wheeling action of regional councillors reflects on the due diligence in the administration at the Region. Taxpayers have been obliged to pay for cost overruns, litigation and mismanagement of personnel — and this is what we know about. What else will appear on our tax bill?

Who indeed is minding the shop?

Eleanor Lancaster St. Catharines