Joe Cimino will not accept the severance package to which he is entitled, following his resignation on Nov. 20, after sitting at Queen’s Park for less than six months.

In a statement released Thursday, Cimino, 45, indicated he was unaware until after he resigned that he was entitled to any kind of compensation.

"For the information of the public, I was unaware that I would be eligible for any severance upon my resignation as MPP until after I resigned in writing and was notified by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the entitlement," he wrote. "As such, I did not plan on the funds when making the very difficult decision that I did.

“Therefore, I have notified human resources with the Legislative Assembly of Ontario that I have no intention of accepting the severance allowance that was afforded me."

It had been widely reported that Cimino was entitled to six months’ pay, about $58,000 in total. As a rookie backbench MPP, he had an annual base salary of $116,550. A by-election that will take place next year — Premier Kathleen Wynne has until May 20 — could cost provincial taxpayers as much as $500,000.

Cimino has not publicly specified the reasons for his resignation, but hinted at family and health-related issues in his Nov. 20 media release.

The announcement that Cimino would receive a severance package caused waves at Queen’s Park.

Yasir Naqvi, the house leader, indicated there would be an all-party review by the legislature’s board of internal economy, adding that severance is made available to outgoing MPP’s to assist in transitioning, as there are no pensions.

Progressive Conservative interim leader Jim Wilson was angry when he found out Cimino would receive a severance package.

"There probably should be a minimum amount of time that you serve here before you get any type of payout from the taxpayer and I don’t what that would be, but I’d be willing to discuss it," said Wilson, as reported in the Toronto Star on Wednesday. "I’m sure anybody in the public, including myself, thinks that’s just ridiculous."

maryk.keown@sunmedia.ca

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