Forensic audit into councillor’s expenses show he improperly claimed $5,657

CALGARY (660 NEWS) – The forensic audit released by the city on Wednesday found that Ward 2 councillor Joe Magliocca improperly expensed $5,657 for meals, hotel rooms and hosting events.

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) conducted the audit showing that Magliocca expensed $36,687 as of December 31, 2019. Of this, $20,782 was determined to be in accordance with the policies.

The amount determined not to be in accordance with the policies was $5,657 with another $10,247 to be reviewed by the city’s finance committee.

The audit contacted 89 of the reported people Magliocca hosted, of which 11 said they did not meet the councillor.

The councillor has repaid $6,220.66 to the city.

Earlier this year, the Calgary Herald first reported that Magliocca expensed more than his fellow council members during a trip to the annual Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) conference in Quebec City.

During a news conference Wednesday, Mayor Naheed Nenshi called Magliocca’s expense scandal very troubling.

“What we’ve seen is a constant pattern of behaviour over a long period of time,” Nenshi said.

“This is a real disregard for the rules. At the very worst this is a pattern of behaviour that I don’t think is befitting of an elected official who should treat every dollar as though it is the dollar of your neighbour.”

Magliocca was handed multiple sanctions following the investigation into his expenses which include a public apology and a ban from business trips until 2021.

“What council is capable of doing is very weak,” the mayor said.

“I would argue that the sanctions that council put forward yesterday are certainly the largest sanctions I have ever seen council put forward and go almost to the limit of our authority.”

Council also voted to send the forensic findings to the Calgary police and the minister of municipal affairs for further investigation.

Nenshi added he has yet to send a formal letter to Magliocca asking him to apologize however, he hopes the councillor will make a public apology before council resumes in the fall.

City council can not force Magliocca to resign as that is up to the citizens in his ward.

“Because we are dealing with an elected official here, the Philosophy behind the laws that govern what we do is citizens decide and citizens decide at election time,” said Mayor Naheed Nenshi.