MISSISSAUGA — Elias Hazineh must pay $170,000 of the $500,000 legal bill that Mayor Hazel McCallion incurred while defending herself from conflict of interest allegations that sought to turf her from office.

Justice John Sproat released his long-anticipated decision today, more than four months after the case came to a close with the judge dismissing the complaint made against the 92-year-old mayor.

The amount is way down from the $400,000 that the mayor and her legal team were asking Hazineh, who filed the unsuccessful charge against McCallion, to cover.

However, Hazineh surely was disappointed with the decision, having argued earlier that he shouldn't have to pay a cent.

In court documents filed on June 27, McCallion's lawyers, Freya Krisjanson and Liz McIntyre, say their client was forced to mount a vigorous defence in this case "because of the potential effect on her reputation, her career and responsibilities as a democratically-elected mayor of Mississauga, as well as Peel Regional councillor. As such, the costs expended were proportionate with the potential impact on Mayor McCallion's reputation and career."

In calling for changes to the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act (MCIA), McCallion said on the day the conflict ruling was released that she’s on the hook for $500,000 in legal costs, but is only covered by insurance through the Region of Peel for $50,000.

“Our necks are out there,” she said. “We have no protection.”

Hazineh, 60, who laid the conflict of interest charge against McCallion back in 2011, has said he shouldn't be forced to cover any of the mayor's legal bill.

"To be slapped with a penalty for doing this goes against all democratic principles. It would put a damper on a citizen coming forward in good faith and making a case," he said earlier.

The judge found, among other things, that Hazineh didn't file the application on time. Hazineh testified in an affidavit that he read about the votes at the region in a 2010 newspaper article. The judge ruled he must have known about the issue well before the deadline to file a conflict application had passed.