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The NOW COQUITLAM, PORT COQUITLAM, PORT MOODY, ANMORE AND BELCARRA
Friday, November 9, 2012
News
Taxation & Accounting
MP expenses surpass those of MLAs
◗ Bookkeeping & Payroll ◗ Business & Personal Taxes ◗ Financial Statements ◗ CRA Audit Representation ◗ Trust Audits and Tax Returns
Jeremy Deutsch jdeutsch@thenownews.com 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 MoodyWestwood-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 percenters, 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.
CERTIFIED GENERAL ACCOUNTANT
NAFEES CHAUDHRY B.Com, CGA, ACFP
#300-2232 McAllister Ave., Port Coquitlam (Near Shaughnessy Street)
604.472.7776 MPs James Moore, left, and Fin Donnelly.
NOW file photos
Police continue investigation Jeremy Deutsch jdeutsch@thenownews.com Mounties are still in search of a suspect who tried to abduct an 11-year-old girl from a PoCo neighbourhood last weekend. RCMP Const. Jamie Phillipson said investigators have no suspects in mind, nor has another attempt been reported. But that doesn’t mean police want the public to let their guard down. “We want the general public to remain vigilant and keep their eyes and ears open on the streets,” Phillipson said. According to police, the girl was walking the family dog along Knappen Street in the Citadel Heights area Sunday afternoon when a man in a white van “We want the drove up. The man allegedly got out of the vehicle and general public to started walking toward the girl. remain vigilant and She turned to run, and the keep their eyes and suspect gave chase. He tried to grab the victim, but she manears open on the aged to run home to phone streets.” police. The girl provided a detailed Jamie Phillipson description of the suspect to Coquitlam RCMP police. The suspect is described as a white man in his late 30s, standing five-feet 11-inches tall, with short brown hair and blue eyes. He has a scar above his right eye, a black lip ring on his lower lip and possibly a black tattoo on his left neck area. The suspect was also wearing a black American Eagle hoodie with the logo across the chest area, black pants and black “skater-style” shoes. The van was described as a white late-90s Ford cargo van with tinted front windows. The rear and back windows were “spray-painted” white, and rust spots were noted above the tires, while the front plate was partially painted over. School District 43 officials issued the police press release to all schools in the district, with a request that schools in the Citadel area send the information home to parents. Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to call Coquitlam RCMP at 604-945-1550 and quote file number 2012-31053.
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