According to MP expenditure reports released by the Board of Internal Economy, New Westminster-Coquitlam MP Fin Donnelly spent $462,105 in the 2011 fiscal year to do his work as an MP.
Photograph by: submitted , for the NOW
If taxpayers are of the mind that their local MLAs are spending big money on expenses, it's nothing compared to the federal politicians.
According to MP expenditure reports released by the Board of Internal Economy, New Westminster-Coquitlam MP Fin Donnelly spent $462,105 and Port Moody-Westwood-Port Coquitlam MP James Moore spent $505,412 in the 2011 fiscal year to do their work as MPs.
The fiscal year runs from April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012, while the report was released at the end of October.
The report breaks the expenses into six categories, from travel and printing to advertising and employee salaries.
Donnelly spent $212,841 on salaries, $124,844 on travel, $18,945 on accommodations and per diem expenses and $3,637 on hospitality and events.
He spent $13,267 on advertising and $18,401 under the heading "printing," which went toward householders, or mailing out information to homes in his riding, but chose not to spend any money on what's called "ten percenters."
Under the rules, MPs can only print up to four householders a year, which can go to every household in the riding, but can produce an unlimited amount of ten per-centers, which are distributed to 10 per cent of the riding.
Around the office, the MP also spent $29,443 on office leases and utilities, $587 for furniture, $10,137 on telecommunication services and $3,517 for material and supplies.
Donnelly spent a total of $455,545 on expenses in the 2010 fiscal year.
Moore chose to spend his money a little differently.
The long-time MP spent $158,216 on employee salaries, $203,800 on travel, $26,238 on accommodations and per diem expenses and $3,533 on hospitality and events.
Moore spent $20,982 on advertising and another $5,269 on householders and $6,835 on ten percenters.
In the office, he spent $37,765 on office leases and utilities, $858 on furniture and equipment, $15,917 on telecommunications services and $5,663 in materials and supplies.
Moore spent a total of $478,224 on expenses in the 2010 fiscal year.
MPs across Canada came under fire in 2010 for at first refusing to let then-auditor general Sheila Fraser examine expenses, but shortly after relented, giving her access to the expenses.
According to MP expenditure reports released by the Board of Internal Economy, New Westminster-Coquitlam MP Fin Donnelly spent $462,105 in the 2011 fiscal year to do his work as an MP.
Photograph by: submitted , for the NOW
