Calgary council considers 'more flexibility' in travel expense accounts
Debate comes three months after trial of former councillor accused of lying on expense claims
Calgary city councillors could soon be able to charge more money for hosting guests if they're travelling out of town on City business.
Currently, councillors receive $100 per day to cover meal expenses while they are out of town. That money can be used for guests as well.
But a current proposal before council would change that rule — allowing councillors to buy food for guests within a set amount per meal: $25 per guest for breakfast, $30 for lunch and $45 for dinner.
That amount would be charged back to the councillor's office budget.
Ward 5 Coun. Raj Dhaliwal said the new guidelines come with no restrictions on how many guests councillors can invite. Without spending limits, he said he can't support the proposed changes.
"I would have liked to see some limit. One-hundred dollars maybe is not the right one. I don't know what that right limit is. But just having no limit is concerning to me," said Dhaliwal.
Ward 10 Coun. Andre Chabot says it's time the policy was updated to give councillors more flexibility.
He says he rejects the suggestion these changes will result in more spending because the expenses must be publicly disclosed and excessive use will only reduce a councillor's ward budget.
'I think the provision is there for anomalies, but it isn't going to result in an abundance of expenditures because it's to your own detriment," said Chabot.
City council will discuss the new rules later this month.
These proposed changes are being debated three months after the trial of former Calgary city councillor Joe Magliocca on charges of breach of trust by a public officer and fraud. It is alleged that Magliocca lied on expense claims submitted to the city between 2017 and 2019.
A verdict in the Magliocca trial is expected Jan. 27.
With files by Scott Dippel and Meghan Grant