Excessive Spending By Toronto Catholic Board Bared

Toronto, Canada (AHN) - An audit will be conducted on the trustees of the Toronto Catholic District School Board after Ontario discovered excessive spending by the trustees.

Despite the lack of legal authority, the trustees voted for themselves medical, dental and life insurance coverages, plus a yearly $8,604 car allowance. Those with excess funds from their discretionary budgets were generous to schools, charities and sports groups of their preference, which were not authorized under the country's Education Act.

It was also discovered that the trustees did not turn over office equipment including mobile phones, fax machines, filing cabinets and digital cameras after they left their post.

These excessive spending bloated the average trustee cost in Toronto to $107,218 for schoolyear 2007-2008. The Catholic board covered only 90,000 students in 201 schools.

According to a report by former public servant Norbert Hartmann who conducted the review, quoted by the Globe and Mail, "What appears to have been questionable or inappropriate use of public funds by some trustees has significantly strained trust - not only between trustees and their constituents, but also... among trustees themselves."

Education Minister Kathleen Wynne gave the board a two-week deadline to submit a timetable on amendments to its expense policies.

The board's "culture of entitlement" shocked Toronto parents who demanded that a civil action or criminal investigation be taken against the trustees, in addition to their handing in resignations and returning money entrusted to the trustees.