Vancouver is laying off staff to deal with a multimillion-dollar budget shortfall, but that hasn't stopped a $817,000 renovation of the chambers where the mayor and councillors work, CBC News has learned.The city first learned it was facing a cash shortage last February, when the new council was advised to slash spending to avoid a major budget crunch. Then late last month, the city revealed it would cut 60 jobs to slow what has become an estimated $61-million budget shortfall for 2010.Despite the shortfall, documents obtained through a freedom of information request show the city still went ahead with nearly a million dollars in upgrades and renovations to the mayor's office and councillors' offices, council chambers and committee rooms.
Receipts show the city spent:
- $263,000 for bathrooms and other general renovations.
- $148,000 for new carpeting.
- $2,900 to oil the wood walls in the mayor's office.
- $4,000 for new picture frames for the photos of past mayors.
- $2,700 to touch up the gold gilding on the ceiling.
Vancouver's current mayor, Gregor Robertson, said it's all about making city hall "presentable" for visiting dignitaries coming for the 2010 Olympic Games."The spend was already set in motion from the previous council. This was just about making sure it got done in time for the Games. And I think city hall was overdue to get the refurbishment," said Robertson.
2 comments:
When is Vernon going to stop wasting money and get rid of some of the staff that are not needed? When will they reconsider remuneration for councillors on committees and stop robbing the taxpayers?
what a waste of taxpayers money geesh
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