He has mocked residents trying to save city services as “socialists” blind to Toronto’s dire financial plight. So it’s ironic that Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti, of all people, is worsening that plight by dragging his heels on repaying public money spent covering his legal costs.

Toronto taxpayers are out about $74,000 after city council irresponsibly ignored the advice of its own lawyers and voted to pay legal fees incurred by Mammoliti while running for office. About $52,000 of that amount actually went toward fees — the rest was used to offset a tax burden that would have fallen on Mammoliti as the payment was deemed to be taxable revenue.

Councillor Doug Holyday, to his credit, used his own money to challenge the city’s wrong-headed decision in court. He’s now $42,500 out-of-pocket, but he won. A panel of three Divisional Court judges ruled last year that city council, indeed, had no authority to cover Mammoliti’s legal fees or those of then-councillor Adrian Heaps, who had received a similar benefit.

Money now needs to be repaid. But Mammoliti — so ready to sacrifice other people’s jobs and municipal services to balance Toronto’s books — is in no rush to write a cheque. Talks are underway to decide when, and how much, Mammoliti actually delivers. “It’s all dependent on those negotiations,” says his lawyer Michael Binetti.

So taxpayers are left waiting for their due. Given Mammoliti’s role as a prominent administration spokesperson, Mayor Rob Ford may want to look elsewhere for a mouthpiece until this is settled.

Mammoliti and Heaps were accused of breaking election financing rules in the 2006 campaign. Both were eventually vindicated but incurred considerable legal expenses. City council never should have covered those costs and a refund is in order.

To avoid a charge of hypocrisy, Mammoliti, especially, should cough up. In fairness, none of the money wrongly paid out by the city went directly into his pocket. It went to his legal team and to the tax collector. And it doesn’t seem right to have him cover what went toward taxes, since this sum didn’t directly benefit him.

Still, that leaves $52,081.37 inappropriately paid by Toronto to cover Mammoliti’s legal costs. Taxpayers deserve that money back — to the penny.