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Business class is business as usual for Hunt and Jackson
Delta’s mayor unapologetic about flying in comfort
See CONFERENCE COSTS › page 8 See VIEWPOINT › page 12
Jacob Zinn
Now contributor Twitter @jacobzinn
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is criticizing Surrey Coun. Marvin Hunt and Delta Mayor Lois Jackson for billing “questionable” travel expenses to Metro Vancouver taxpayers for European conferences attended in 2011. The not-for-profit watchdog group released documents obtained through Freedom-Of-Information requests showing that Hunt wrote off $5,467.32 in airfare and $3,960 in “meeting fees” for a business trip to Florence, Italy, while Jackson expensed $7,204.15 in airfare and train tickets for a different trip to Bonn, Germany. Both Hunt and Jackson – who
are on Metro Vancouver’s board of directors – flew business class, and Jackson took business class train rides. “These trips really stood out as being outliers compared to a lot of the other conferences and trips that were taken by Metro Vancouver board members,” said Jordan Bateman, B.C. director of the CTF. “You’re talking about finding, really, one of the most expensive ways to travel to Europe.” Bateman said these expenses should be proactively disclosed, claiming that Metro Vancouver often asks for more funding. “They’re raising water rates, they’re raising sewer rates, they’re raising garbage rates – they keep raising all these expenses and taxes on us, and yet they’re spending money like this,” he said. “It really is unfair to taxpayers who are struggling right now to pay their Metro Vancouver and their property tax bills.” see JACKSON › page 10
Semiahmoo House program participants (from left) Michaela Robinson, Katie Johnson, Jason Ross and Larissa Henry hit the stage during the society’s big Extravaganza! show at Surrey Arts Centre. ‘Now’ contributor Luiz Lopes was on hand to cover the annual event, designed to showcase the talents of people with disabilities. See story and more photos on page 35. (Photo: LUIZ LOPES)
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