LEVY: Taxpayers on the hook for $1.7 million severance bill
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The official tally is in.
Taxpayers are on the hook for nearly $1.7 million in severance payments to 24 departing and retiring Toronto councillors.
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Documents from the City Clerk’s office confirm a total of nine councillors were eligible for the full payout of a year’s salary or the equivalent of $144,306.66: Maria Augimeri, Janet Davis, Glen De Baeremaeker, Frank DiGiorgio, Norm Kelly, Giorgio Mammoliti, Joe Mihevc , Cesar Palacio and David Shiner.
The rest collected kissoffs valued at $76,204.44 right on down to $3,968.
The severance paid out to departing councillors – either due to a resignation or an election loss – is equivalent to one month’s pay for each year of service up to a maximum of 12 months. City rules stipulate any councillor who’s been on the job for at least 30 days is eligible to receive some form of severance.
The severance package includes $3,500 for retirement, outplacement or transition counselling. Deputy city clerk Kelly McCarthy said Thursday they have not received any invoices for the transition allowance as of yet and that councillors have a year to use it.
She said their benefits ended Nov. 30 – unless those councillors over the age of 55 opt to take their OMERs pension, which entitles them to retiree benefits.
It appears that Councillor Shelley Carroll, who returned to City Hall in December after a brief sabbatical, will be pocketing two City Hall salaries or the equivalent of $38,100 extra until April.
She resigned from her job last April, taking her full severance of $114,306 while running for the Liberals in June’s provincial election.
Less than a month after she lost, she signed up to run for councillor again
In an e-mail to a constituent last October, she argued it was not a severance at all but a “commuted salary” – a lump sum payment instead of her pension. (Oy!)
Here is the list of severance payments:
Maria Augimeri: $114,306
Jon Burnside: $38,102
Christin Carmichael-Greb: $38,102
John Campbell: $38,102
Josh Colle: $76,204
Vince Crisanti: $76,204
Janet Davis: $114,306
Glen DeBaeremaeker: $114,306
Justin Di Ciano: $38,102
Frank DiGiorgio: $114,306
Sarah Doucette: $76,204
Mary Fragedakis: $76,204
Jim Hart: $13,494
Michelle Holland: $76,204
Norm Kelly: $114,306
Giorgio Mammoliti: $114,306
Mary Margaret McMahon: $76,204
Migan Megardichian: $3,968
Joe Mihevc: $114,306
Cesar Palacio: $114,306
Neethan Shan: $16,669
David Shiner: $114,306
Lucy Troisi: $9,525
Jonathan Tsao: $4,762
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