Councillor Michael Thompson is refunding taxpayers the $300 he charged to his office budget to have his office blessed by a Baptist pastor.

“I will provide the city with a cheque for the $300 and at the same time ask the integrity commissioner to take a look at this and rule on it,” Thompson (Ward 37 Scarborough Centre) said in an interview Friday.

Thompson, chair of the economic development committee and a close ally of Mayor Rob Ford, had defended the expense Thursday night in an interview with the Star’s Jennifer Yang.

“(Having my office blessed) helps me to perform my task, the enormous task, of being a councillor,” he told her. “I believe a little faith is a tremendous guiding hand and principle in my ability to make my decisions on a daily basis.”

The expense was criticized, however, by Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday, who called the blessing the type of optional expense councillors should pay out of their own pocket.

Thompson said he had a conversation with Ford on Thursday about the expense, and heard from some constituents who mostly seemed bothered by the “religious aspect” of what he describes as a donation to Wilmar Heights Baptist Church that included the blessing.