On the weekend, Vancouver Sun reporter had an intriguing look at the MLA housing allowance, and an internal Legislature report that found taxpayers could save up to $1.2 million per year by moving away from monthly allowances to hotels instead.

Currently, MLAs can get $12,000 per year in housing allowance without presenting receipts, or up to $19,000 per year by turning in documentation. From the Sun:

A nightly rate of $ 150 to $ 200 for a hotel near the legislature is less than the $ 300 to $ 600 per legislature sitting day that it costs for condo rentals and second properties for MLAs, the report says.

MLAs would need to sit in the legislature 95 days in a year — an extremely rare occurrence — for the $ 19,000 rent/ ownership housing allowance to be the most cost- effective choice for taxpayers, the study found.

Sounds to me like the Legislature needs to phase out this program – the world has changed, and this 1970s style perk needs to change too.