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We’ve nothing against Stevenson and Magliocca making an appearance if they wish, but they should pay their own travel and accommodation. The cost of the junket is in the $5,000 range — not including tickets, which can be expensed to their offices — which is too rich, notwithstanding the positive sheen city council has tried to put on the expense.

“I think we have a responsibility to represent our city,” said Stevenson. “For something like this, I think it’s important that we have a presence on the Canadian scene. I think it’s a worthwhile public relations thing.”

Stevenson is right to a point: having the Stampeders battle the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the CFL final is good publicity for Calgary. And so is the enthusiastic boosterism of the Grey Cup Committee and the presence of our mayor. City council seems to have overlooked the fact, however, that it’s engaged in a review of its budget and that council members have increasingly said there’s no more fat to be trimmed despite proposed 4.7 per cent tax increases in each of the next four years.

“There are no easy areas to find savings anymore,” said Ward 11 Coun. Brian Pincott. “If we want to find significant savings now, it isn’t about nibbling anymore — it’s about cutting programs entirely.”

The Grey Cup Committee members are paying their own expenses to get to Vancouver. City council could learn a lesson from the group about true volunteerism as opposed to the paler paid variety. If councillors were more careful about how they spend smaller sums of money, and had just sent Nenshi to Vancouver, they might score an occasional touchdown when it comes to crafting responsible budgets.