Key Vote: Police Spending Transparency

Salary disclosure is a commonplace practice – the Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act in Ontario requires that publicly-funded organizations such as the provincial government, City of Toronto, hospitals and universities all disclose the names of employees earning over $100,000 annually. Non-profit organizations that receive more than $1 million from the provincial government are also included in the act.

Despite the fact that the Police Services will receive over $600 million from the city in 2003 - 22% of the city’s net expenditures (the TTC, in comparison, receives 8%) - Toronto Police Services disclose very little information about their budget and how it is spent. Councillors were able to provide greater transparency about how the police budget is allocated, but instead voted to maintain the wall between the police and the public.

Vote Essentials: That police disclose the names of police constables earning more than $100,000 annually, the Police Services Committee investigate how a constable can almost double their salary through overtime

Voting FOR increased transparency in police spending: 17
Augimeri, Balkissoon, Bussin, Chow, Di Giorgio, Hall, Johnston, Jones, Lastman, Li Preti, McConnell, Mihevc, Miller, Moeser, Moscoe, Pantalone, Pitfield

Voting AGAINST increased transparency in police spending: 23
Altobello, Ashton, Berardinetti, Cho, Disero, Duguid, Feldman, Ford, Holyday, Kelly, Korwin-Kuczynski, Lindsay Luby, Mammoliti, Milczyn, Nunziata, Ootes, Rae, Shaw, Shiner, Silva, Soknacki, Sutherland, Tziretas

Vote Date: February 2002

Vote Specifics: Clause No. 2 of Report No. 2 of The Policy and Finance Committee, headed “City of Toronto 2003 Recommended Operating Budget”.

For more information, see the City Council Minutes. (PDF file opens in a new window.)