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Team calls for transparency

Candidate says party would publicly post info on expenses and salaries

School board candidate Bonda Bitzer wants greater transparency when it comes to reporting district expenses and salaries.

Bitzer, who is running under the TEAM Burnaby banner, said her party would post monthly information on board of education expenditures and annual salaries for all employees.

"I think there should be a button on the website where you can see the accounts payable and see how much money is going to the various people," she said.

Bitzer has worked in human resources for 20 years, first with the Maple Ridge school district, then the B.C. Public School Employers' Association (the group that negotiates contracts with the B.C. Teachers' Federation on behalf of the provincial government) and more recently at the Burnaby school district.

"I talk to people on the phone and at the doorstep who really want to know how tax money is spent," Bitzer said. "They want to know where their tax dollars go. A generalized big picture of revenue and expenditure doesn't provide enough information to people."

Expenditures and program costs should all be provided online and updated monthly, she added.

"We are committed to transparency in local government, and the first step is providing complete financial information online."

Bitzer said there may be privacy laws in some cases of reporting salaries publicly.

"We would have to honour that, but to the extent possible, I think it should be public information," she said.

School board chair Larry Hayes said the district already follows requirements on reporting expenses.

Hayes is chair of the school board and a member of the Burnaby Citizens Association, the civic party that currently holds all seven school trustee seats.

"We go through a budget process every year, which is very transparent and lengthy," he said. "We have a number of opportunities for the public to provide input and ask questions, whether it be through our website or through a public session."

Those public sessions are not always well attended, Hayes added.

"There hasn't been a groundswell of people saying we're hiding stuff. It's a manufactured issue that sounds really good, but there's no real basis for it. Everyone wants transparency," he said. "Accusing groups that there is no transparency is certainly a hotbutton issue."

Every year, the district reports on school trustee expenses and salaries in a statement of financial information, as per provincial law, and submits the report to the Education Ministry.

The report also covers assets and liabilities, a statement of income, a list of all employees who earn more than $75,000 (including district administration and teachers) and a list of suppliers that have invoiced the district for more than $25,000.

In December, the district will release the report for the 2010/2011 fiscal year (ending June 30).

To see last year's report, request a copy from the school district or go to www.bced. gov.bc.ca/accountability/district/ sofi/2010/welcome.htm. www.twitter.com/JenniferMoreau