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ADVERTISING 9056404612 Chasified: 1 -800-743â€" York Region Media Group community newspapers The Sun-Tribune. pubtished every Thursday and Saturday, is a division of m Metroland Media Group Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiaty of Torstar Comomion. Wand is comprised of 100 community publications across omm.1m York Region Newspape! Group also includes The Liberal. sewing Richmond Hm and Thomhill. Vaughan Citizen,The Era-Banner (Newmarket/ Aurora). Markham Economist Sun, Georgina Advocate, York Region Business Trmes. North of the City. yorkregronoorn and York Region Printing. The Sun-“hibune welcomes your let- ters. All submissions must be less than 400 words and must include a daytime telephone number. name and address The Sunâ€"Tribune reserves the right to publish or not publish and to edit for clar~ lty and space. Mike Banuiue mbamlillewyrmgxom Pu mormanfiyrmgcom dandmus®ynng.wm DISTRIBUTION Circulation Supervisor Carolyn Norman jmmonermgcom Dawna Andrews Awmnsmc DISTRIBUTION 905-640-2612 Pnooucnon Manager Sherry Day jmuonflmgxom 905640â€"2612 I: 905â€"640-8778 INTERACTIVE MEDIA Marketing Letters to the Editor. The Sunâ€"Tdbune 6290 Main St. . Wk, 0N LM ":7 lETTERS POLICY EnnmuAL Editor [im Mason EDITORIAL I: 1-800-743â€"3353 905640-8778 PUBLISHER Ian Proudfoot 0 - NI N hands on it. There is nothing more outrageous than governments that wilfully waste and abuse public funds, than govern- ments that play hide-and-seek with the use of public funds. At the federal level, Auditor General Sheila Fraser, who already scrutinizes MP spending through independent audits, rightly wants to take it a step further. She thinks taxpayers should know if they are getting good value for the more than $500 million our MPs spend annually. Sourids good to me. And Bloc Que- becois Leader Gilles Duceppe, of all people. But not so for politicians from every other party. Now, I’d like to be fair. And I'd like not to jump to conclu- sions -â€" such as: some MP is getting his moat cleaned on my dime! But what possible réason could our politicians have for not opening their books? Celebration marred On May 1, I held a birthday party for my 81-year-old Mom. To make room for family and friends in my driveway, I parked my own car on the street. This car was brand-spank- ing new, the first new car I've ever owned. 1 work very hard to provide for myself and my chilâ€" dren. We were all proud, not as much of the “new car" but of what it represented to us. While we celebrated, some- one bashed in the side of my car, it appears by kicking it. The quote to repair is $931. My insurance deductible is $1,000. Repairs must wait. We did hear commotion outside, including loud voices. Our puppy barked. 7 There was smashed glass from a liquor bottle all over the ground. lust down the street, the fencing surrounding the old high school had also been damaged. To vall parents and school teachers who see this note, I I don’t know about you, but it makes lETTERS TO THE EDITOR t's my money. Goddammit. l have every right to see if it's money well spent by the politicians who get their ask that you pass it on to the teenagers in your life and your classrooms. Remind them of the people they hurt. DEBORAH MACDONALD 8 TO U P FV I LLE Proud to live in Stouffville Congratulations to all those young families who were out May 1 cleaning up litter around Byers Pond and the pathways nearby. We are seniors who enjoy walking the pathways near Hoover Drive, around the storm water management pond and over the small bridge that leads to James Ratcliff Avenue. We congratulated those we saw working so diligently and they told us ‘fthis is where we live", therefore they were glad to do the pickup. A fantasiic job. You made us proud to call ourselves resi- dents of Stouflville. me think they have something to hide. I hope it’s not a clean moat. Ms Fraser’s call for a “performance audit” is about accountability. Accountability that is standard pro- cedure in the real world, where senior managers can expect their expenses to be closely examined by auditors. But the last time parliamentary spending was audited was 1991. The Conservatives, Liberals and NDP have dragged their feet since Ms Fraser made the request nearly a year ago â€"â€" well before the expense-claim scandal in Britain that brought to light taxpayerâ€" funded moat and pool clean- ings. mortgages and plasma TVs. 'Should Wé be surprised by the Con- servatives' lack of enthusiasm, given BEV CLIFF FLOYD STOUFFVILLE Debora Kelly that the information commissioner has concluded this government is the most secretive in history when it comes to answering access to information requests? If you voted for the Conservatives based on their platform of openness and accountability. this is another reminder the joke is on you. But the opposition is no better on this issue. While the Liberals and NDP routinely demand accountability in the House of Commons for the expenditure of tax dollars, both leaders, Michael Ignatiefi and Jack Layton, have said they are content with the current level of scrutiny for their own spending. Coyfiess on spendifig isn’t exclusive to MPs. Opposition Progressive Conservative attempts to bring in a Truth in Govem- ment Act was defeated in the Ontario legislature last week. The taxpayer protection plan would have expanded freedom of informa- tion across government and ensured disclosure of hospitality expenses and contracts and grants over $10,000. Given the ffivolous waste and abuse of billions of dollars that has occurred â€"â€" at eHealth, Cancer Care Ontario and OLG, to name a fewâ€" we need to know how our money is being spent by the McGuinty government. Apparently, the Liberals â€"â€" another party that campaigned on account- ability and transparency â€" doesn't agree. But it’s my money. Goddammit. In York Region, accountability comes with a price tag in some munic- ipalities. In Markham, where councillors cost taxpayers $1.2 million in 2009, expens- es are filed in broad categories such as mileage/ gas, travel and meetings. If, like the attorney general, you would like more details, get out your cheque book. While full-disclosure expense reports are accessible online for Vaughan and Toronto politicians; in Markham, it will cost about $2,000 after you file a freedom of information request. Richmond Hill has a similar policy. Bottom line. we have absolutely no reason to trust our politicians if they keep their books closed. And it's our money. Goddammit. Debom Kelly is editor in chief of the York Region Media Group.