Hefty pension will cushion Hurlburt’s fall
Posted Feb 10, 2010 06:47:06 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A generator and big screen television have led to the political downfall of Tory MLA Richard Hurlburt.
But a pension and cash parting gift will cushion the blow – and taxpayers say they’re not happy about that.
Hurlburt resigned on Tuesday after it was revealed that in addition to spending $8,000 of taxpayer money for a generator – installed at his house – he’d also purchased a 40-inch LCD television for just under $2500 which cost hundreds more to install.
After 11 years in office, Hurlburt will walk away with more taxpayer dollars. He’ll receive a one-time cash payment of $21,000 followed by an annual pension of just under $42,000.
At the Mumford Road Transit Terminal, Nancy says Hurlburt should no longer be eligible for the payout.
“Taxpayers voted for these people and put them in power, trusting that they were going to do the right thing,” she said. “Everybody that was involved should be made accountable for their actions.”
Among the other MLAs named as having made “inappropriate” or “excessive” expenditures are Premier Darrell Dexter and former Liberal leader Michel Samson.
Interim PC Party leader Karen Casey is distancing herself from Hurlburt’s decision to resign.
“When he shared with me that he was going to do that, I told him that would respect that,” she said. “I was disappointed with that because he is and has been and always was a valuable member of caucus.”
Casey wouldn’t say whether there could be more resignations.
