Vancouver, BC. NPA Mayoralty Candidate John Coupar today committed that if he is elected Mayor on October 15th with an NPA majority on Council, they will immediately end the annual $1 million political slush fund for the Mayor’s Office.
“This is an outrageous abuse of taxpayer’s money,” says Coupar. “It is unaccountable and has no oversight from Council or City administration. Individual Councillors receive an annual budget of $30,000 for expenses, so let’s give the Mayor what he needs for his legitimate needs.
“But $1 million per year? Come on, that’s just not right. So, the NPA will end it.”
Records show that of the close to $4 million available to Kennedy Stewart in the last four years, $2.3 million has gone to “political salaries” with another $450,000 to consultants and $87,700 more to private polling.
“Can our $4 million Mayor tell Vancouver taxpayers what benefits they have received from these out-of-control expenditures?
“Let’s keep in mind that Mayor Stewart has seven full-time political staff in his office, including two Chiefs of Staff.
“And in addition, his Administration has 44 people in Communications,” says Coupar. “When I’m Mayor with a strong NPA Council and mandate to restore safety and accountability to Vancouver, we will put taxpayers first.”
Coupar points out that the $4 million Mayor Stewart can spend on anything he likes would fund 48 VPD first-year constables.
“I challenge Kennedy Stewart to explain to the Yaletown shop owner tired of repeated break-ins or the Eastside senior afraid to walk across her local park or the young parents struggling to find an affordable place to live how $4 million is the right way to spend their tax dollars.”
