Second quarter MLA compensation and expense reports have been posted online as part of the Legislative Assembly’s implementation of expanded quarterly disclosure on compensation and expenses for individual MLAs, including Cabinet ministers. Local Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA Norm Macdonald’s expenses are more or less in line with those of other Kootenay region MLAs.

The report discloses MLA salaries, travel expenses and constituency office expenses for each MLA from the beginning of April 2014 through to the end of June 2014.

Of the four Kootenay region MLAs, three — Macdonald, Nelson-Creston MLA Michelle Mungall and Kootenay West MLA Katrine Conroy — are NDP opposition MLAs and each made the basic MLA salary of $25,395 for the quarter, while Kootenay East MLA Bill Bennett is a Liberal cabinet minister and correspondingly made a higher minister’s salary, which totalled $35,553.

Mungall had the lowest travel expenses of any Kootenay region MLA, with $9,715 for the quarter; Macdonald’s travel expenses came to $11,689; Conroy had travel expenses of $13,245; while Bennett’s travel expenses totalled $19,424.

Mr. Macdonald’s travel expenses were broken down into a capital city accommodation allowance of $3,000, a capital city per diem of $1,339, a coastal/remote in-constituency allowance of $2,895, general travel costs of $3,327, general travel costs per diem of $195, and an accompanying person allowance (for one trip) of $933.

Mr. Bennett had the lowest constituency office expenses of any Kootenay region, with $26,811 for the quarter; Ms. Conroy had constituency office expenses of $28,210; Mr. Macondald had constituency office expenses of $29,540; while Ms. Mungall had constituency office expenses of $35,553.

Mr. Madonald’s constituency office expense were broken down into office administration cost of $26,484, communication and advertising costs of $1,326, office supply costs of $133, and other office expenses of $1,598.

The full reports are available in the new Accountability section on the Legislative Assembly website which consolidates disclosure reports and governance resources relating to Assembly accountability initiatives. Visit leg.bc.ca/accountability/index.htm.