Ward 39 (Scarborough Agincourt) Councillor Mike Del Grande is making good on his pledge to donate his salary increase to charity.
Del Grande was among a group of seven councillors who signed a pledge last fall promising to reject the nine per cent pay increase and to only accept a cost of living increase.
In an interview Tuesday, he provided copies of the letters and cheques - totaling $5,700 - that he's sending out to area organizations.
"I'm not doing this for publicity. It's a point of principle because I get very angry when people discount me and say, 'Oh yeah right, he says he's going to give to charity.' I'm putting my money where my mouth is. But I'm not going to (reveal this information) next year�and I'm not going to do it the year after�it's private."
Councillors voted 22-21 last summer to increase their salaries from $87,241 to $95,000.
The increase took effect Jan. 1.
Del Grande said he's since had inquiries from constituents and the media wanting to know what he planned to do with the extra money.
"To me if I give my word, I've given my word. To a lot of people out there that's not enough, they don't believe that," he said of his reasons for wanting to publicly disclose his personal donations.
The list includes donations to 12 organizations, including four environmental groups, two pro-life organizations, two health care organizations, two local churches, Habitat for Humanity and a $100 donation to the City of Toronto.
"I don't drink coffee here. I don't go gorging myself at the cookie break time," he said, adding, "I do on occasion (eat the food provided). I do have diabetes, I need to balance stuff. But I've never come here for a free ride. So there's a cheque to (Joseph) Pennachetti as well to cover for that. I don't want to be criticized that I got the free lunch, I got the raise, I got the this, I got the that."
Other donations include; $1,600 to set up a library at St. Aidan Church in Scarborough; $500 to Acoustic Neuroma; $500 to St. Augustine's Seminary; $1,500 to Habitat for Humanity; $500 to Aid to Women; $200 to Campaign Life Coalition; $200 to Lake Ontario Waterkeepers; $300 to Scarborough Grace Hospital; $100 to Wildlife Habitat Canada; $100 to Ducks Unlimited and $100 to the Oak Ridges Moraine Land Trust.
Del Grande said he hopes people will be respectful of his choices.
"If I say that I'm going to give and make donations, I get very upset with people that turn around and say, 'Well why did he give it to these people?' Well you know what, how much do you want to push and kick me? I don't think that's right either. I think for what I do, it should be enough to say that I said I'm going to do what I said I'm going to do," he said.
Del Grande continued saying, "my blood will boil if somebody writes to The Mirror and complains, 'Oh why did you give to this charity and not that?'
"There are critics out there no matter what you do," he said. "I just would like it to be treated as philanthropic. It's done out of good will. It's done in keeping a promise."