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Move over Pamela, here comes Jennifer

On your mark, get set ... go. The race to the public trough is underway.

On your mark, get set ... go.

The race to the public trough is underway.

North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice handed in a $9,283.74 expense report for the month of July.

One month into the job and she's already tapping the taxpayer wallet for nearly $10,000. Her total was nearly double of the next highest political pig at the trough, George Heyman of Vancouver-Fairview who billed the taxpayers for about $5,300.

To put the rookie MLA's expenses in perspective, Rice put in a claim for more than Skeena MLA Robin Austin and Stikine MLA Doug Donaldson combined.

Austin, from Terrace, put in for $3,302.65, which actually included family travel — something Rice doesn't currently have a need to bill us for — and Donaldson from Hazelton came in at $4,740.

At this rate, Rice is on pace to cost the taxpayer nearly $1.44 million over her four-year term.

Rice, who is paid $101,859 annually plus 11 per cent matching pension contributions, also receives a $61 per diem — with no receipts required — to pay for the cost of meals. On top of that, Rice receives up to $19,000 for accomodations in Victoria.

Rice blamed the high expense report, of course, on Premier Christy Clark who had the audacity to call the legislature back to business and Rice did not have enough time to find a place to rent, therefore all the hotel bills.

Secondly, the high air travel costs associated in living in a rural riding. Rice's air travel totalled nearly $4,500.

On top of that, there is a constituency office allowance of $9,916.67 to cover staff salaries and other operating costs — and no, apparently that doesn't cover office space, insurance, computers, telephones and heating, that is covered off by yet another fund or by the Legislative Assembly itself.

There is also another allowance to cover travel within her riding, up to $11,580 per year.

At this rate, to do some rough projected math: Salary and pension, ($113,000); expenses, $9,000 @ 12 months, ($108,000); consitituency office expenses ($119,000); paid rent in Victoria ($19,000) = $359,000 per year times four years = $1.44 million.

And no, that doesn't cover everything.

When asked how they would react if an employee of theirs handed in a $9,000-plus expense report for one month, four executives at major Canadian corporations had responses that ranged from: "asinine," "fire them," "outrageous," to "it's something we would investigate."

It seems, Prince Rupert may now have its own version of Pamela Wallin.