Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Mayor Rob Ford Is A Piker in Contrast.

Something Fishy in Aurora has left a new comment on your post "Mayor Rob Ford":

What will be interesting to see is how much may be spent to bring this to court. Over something that was about $3000

Not saying that upholding the rules is not important...but....

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We do have an idea of how much could  be spent.

 Before the tap was turned off in Aurora, for three residents being sued,  cost to the town  $63,000.   $55,000, for work that was discontinued.  $8,500 for the new Council to be advised.

Costs for  residents to defend themselves  against  deep pockets of the municipality were close to $100,000 and rising.

In contrast, Rob Ford had a Code of Conduct complaint filed against him on an issue of $3,000, of charitable contributions  solicited on city  stationery

The  process  which found him at fault, likely cost considerably more.. A legal defence, if he availed himself  would be $20,000.

The Integrity Commissioner ruled  he must repay the money.

The ruling had a price tag.

City  Council voted to support the ruling. They have the authority.

Councillor Ford did not conform. He was reminded several times.

 The process has a price tag.

The Integrity Commissioner's Annual Report has a price tag.

It  reminded Council of the outstanding ruling.

Council voted not to enforce the ruling.

They have that authority.

Why did they change their decision?

Likely because,other than court action  no other option was available.

A Code of Conduct process cannot  result in a Councillor being charged with an  offence

. What petition could be taken to court?

Provincial regulations  governing the  permissible Code of Conduct are like a wide meshed sieve. Designed not to catch anything.

They were not designed to settle political scores either.

But there's another aspect.

Rob Ford has been a regular and easy target for score-settling. He's a big, blundering fellow.

The  complaint filed against him about improper use of city stationary, does not rule out the possibility other Councillors may  have similarly exploited that advantage..

The vote not to enforce the Integrity Commissioner's ruling could have been influenced by  more than a single factor. .

The  Code of Conduct may become  a relevant factor in  that  trial of  Conflict of Interest ,within the context of  the reality of  city conduct.in general.

Mayor Rob Ford's  Conflict of Interest charges over $3,000, charitable contributions to a kid's football team, as a personal pecuniary interest, makes him  a piker in contrast to the one we all know about.

The  stated objective of taking him out of  elected office  is not bound to happen.

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