Politicians push back against how city-funded boards use taxpayer money

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Amid public backlash to the London police board spending more than $100,000 for advice on how to sell its record-setting budget request, two city councillors want a new guideline on the use of taxpayers’ money for budget pitches. 

The police board paid Navigator, a Toronto-based crisis communications firm with a history of representing high-profile clients, $104,662 between Jan. 4 and May 15 to help craft its communication plan and provide material for the board’s proposed four-year police budget, documents obtained by The Free Press through a freedom-of-information request show.

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The revelation the police board used taxpayer money to help pitch its budget to the public and politicians drew swift criticism from city politicians and citizens, some of whom expressed concern that other city organizations don’t have the ability to pay high-priced firms to help them.

Now, Ward 11 Coun. Skyler Franke and Ward 7 Coun. Corrine Rahman have written a letter asking their council colleagues to prohibit city-funded boards, commissions and agencies from using taxpayer money for lobbying efforts.

“While agencies, boards and commissions operate separately to the City of London and follow their own legislation, we have received concerns from the community regarding the use of public funds,” the politicians write in the one-page letter to their colleagues.

“Many residents have indicated they are not comfortable with public funds being used to support a public agency lobbying municipal council for more public funds.”

The motion asks city council to direct administration “to work in good faith in their interactions with the city and that the use of municipal funding intended to support lobbying efforts including advertising or communication materials to solicit engagement with the municipal council be prohibited (or avoided).”

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Franke acknowledged council doesn’t have the legal ability to dictate how city-funded organizations use the money city hall gives them.

“We actually have no legal authority to require this, but we have the ability to ask,” she said.

Rahman said she decided to put forward the motion after hearing from constituents and speaking with members of the police board.

“I think, ultimately, we want everybody on a level playing field when they’re making these requests,” she said of proposed budgets. “Using internal resources available should be utilized in an effort to bring some of those savings and efficiencies as we proceed through the multi-year budget.”

The bulk of the 382-page document released to The Free Press under the freedom-of-information request was redacted except the contract, invoices, and a copy of a news release and a report that was previously provided to the media at a budget briefing.

Police board chair Ali Chahbar has defended the decision to hire Navigator, saying it’s not unusual for boards to hire consultants or other experts to provide professional advice and guidance.

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“The London Police Service Board is resolute in our commitment to making London a safer city for all and will always put public safety at the forefront of our decision making process. We look forward to continuing this important work, in good faith, with all community partners, including municipal council, who share this goal,” Chahbar said in a statement. 

The seven-member police board – made up the mayor, three city appointees and three provincial appointees – is responsible for overseeing policing in the city. The board’s budget, set at $519,000 next year, comes out of the police budget.

The four-year, $672-million police budget – representing an annual average of $167 million, with a 28 per cent increase this year – was approved by city council earlier this year as part of the overall city budget that contains significant tax increases, starting with an 8.7 per cent boost this year followed by increases of 8.7 per cent in 2025, 5.7 per cent in 2026 and 6.7 per cent in 2027.

Last week, the police board unanimously approved drawing $850,000 from a reserve fund to reduce the impact of the police operating budget next year.

The motion from Franke and Rahman will be presented when city politicians meet as the strategic priorities and policy committee next Tuesday. It would then be scheduled for a final, formal vote from city council on Nov. 5.

dcarruthers@postmedia.com
@DaleatLFPress

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