Mammoliti used staff improperly, citizen says

Councillor allegedly used city resources in private appeal, a charge he calls ‘frivolous’

A complaint to the city’s integrity commissioner alleges Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti is improperly using city resources in an appeal where he is acting as a private citizen.

Mammoliti is one of several people who have appealed council’s decision on new ward boundaries at the province’s Ontario Municipal Board (OMB), a land use planning tribunal.

Toronto resident Tyler Johnson told the integrity commissioner’s office that at least one member of Mammoliti’s staff, community relations and issues specialist Jason Wang, was assisting with the appeal and that other staff members may be helping also.

“Council’s code of conduct states city councillors cannot use their office or city resources for anything other than business of the city,” Johnson said in an email. “If Mammoliti is at the OMB as a private citizen, he shouldn’t be using city resources.”

Mammoliti did not respond directly to questions from the Star about the use of his staff at the appeal.

But he called the complaint “frivolous” and an attempt to silence him by those he said are in favour of a larger council.

Wang did not respond to a request for comment.

Johnson works for the Toronto District School Board and attended the OMB hearing this week as a private citizen, independent of his job, he told the Star.

A Star reporter attended the first three days of the OMB hearing, which began Tuesday, and witnessed Wang sitting with Mammoliti at a table for parties to the appeal, taking notes and assisting the councillor as he cross-examined witnesses called by the city. Councillors’ staff are funded through the city’s operating budget, which is funded in large part by property tax dollars.

In November 2016, council approved a new ward boundary structure that would increase the number of wards to 47 from 44.

Since then, several appeals have been filed with the OMB, which has jurisdiction to confirm or overrule the boundaries approved by council.

Mammoliti, who filed his appeal in May, did so without referencing his role as a councillor.

“I am a resident, homeowner and taxpayer in the City of Toronto,” his appeal letter reads, with no formal letter head and using his home address.

The city’s integrity commissioner can only recommend punishment to council if she finds a councillor has contravened city rules.