Rob Ford would prefer that councillors not buy office supplies—especially fancy ones

After the release of city council’s expense reports on Friday, Rob Ford expressed his usual moral indignation over some councillors’ lavish spending habits—even though all but Glenn De Baeremaeker finished 2011 under their $30,000 limit. Doug Ford, who hadn’t disclosed any office expenses until the Globe and Mail did it for him, joined in, taking aim at those who purchased “fancy four-colour brochures.” Scandalous! Certainly councillors should cut costs where they can, but what’s the point of an office expense budget if you’re going to be criticized for using it? Moreover, we don’t see why the mayor, a known lover of fine office supplies, would want to deny his colleagues the pleasure of a finely crafted business card. Listen to the entire segment [Newstalk 1010] »
So all Councillors should have their own family printing company to print off their office supplies and pay their office expenses from? Deco Labels is the Ford brothers’ family owned business, which also sells its products to the TTC.
It’s classic right-wing do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do hypocrisy (no fancy stuff, except when I get my fancy business cards) mixed with silver-spoon elitism (only those with inherited-from-daddy business should be Councillors if they can pay their own office expenses). Throw in turkey gravy and the Sopranos North, and you got the Ford brothers.
Penny Wise, Dollar Foolish.