Mayor Gondek Must Repay Taxpayers

Share

6,156 signatures
Goal: 10,000 Signatures

Mayor Gondek Must Repay Taxpayers

Recently, we discovered that Mayor Jyoti Gondek spent $107,324 of Calgary taxpayer money on a public relations agency, for what appears to have been a personal political makeover.

Mayor Gondek insists this spending was necessary to improve communication from her office.

But, the agency provided media coaching, website redesign, speechwriting, and messaging support - services clearly aimed at reshaping her public image rather than addressing city-wide communication needs.

And, lo and behold, many of the messages and communications elements contained in this taxpayer-funded rebrand seem to be showing up in her campaign material, too.

We're sure that's just a coincidence, though? Right?

In reality, if the goal genuinely was just better communication, there were numerous ways to achieve that without creating a flashy new personal website, and exercises in empathy training, posture, eye contact, and hand gestures.

City communications could have been strengthened through the resources already available: existing City staff, proper channels, and improved internal coordination - without turning taxpayer funds into a personal rebranding campaign.

You could also (maybe?) justify this kind of expenditure if it were done as part of training at the start of a four-year term, and open and available to all elected officials, not just the Mayor.

Doing it just in time for a re-election campaign seems pretty blatant.

Calgarians deserve transparency, accountability, and integrity.

Over $100,000 in taxpayer money was used for services designed to make her appear more relatable, empathetic, and competent.

Taxpayer dollars should support City services, infrastructure, and the needs of citizens, not a personal PR campaign for the Mayor herself.

This spending blurs the line between official City duties and political ambition, undermines public trust, and sets a dangerous precedent for future elected officials.

Mayor Gondek must return these funds to taxpayers, acknowledge the misuse, and commit to prioritizing City services over personal image campaigns in the future.

We are calling on Mayor Gondek to reimburse the $107,324 to Calgary taxpayers personally (or at least from her campaign funds) and restore faith in City leadership.

Calgarians deserve a Mayor who respects the line between governance and electioneering, demonstrates integrity, and manages taxpayer money responsibly.

If you agree, please sign the petition.

Then, once you've signed, please pass this email on to your friends so they can sign too.

Will you sign?

We the undersigned call on Mayor Gondek to repay taxpayers.

First Name

Last Name

Email

Mobile Phone

Address (Street, City, State, Postal Code)

Country

Comments (optional)

Don't publish this on the website

I want to volunteer

Secured Via NationBuilder

6,156 signatures
Goal: 10,000 Signatures

Mayor Gondek Must Repay Taxpayers

Recently, we discovered that Mayor Jyoti Gondek spent $107,324 of Calgary taxpayer money on a public relations agency, for what appears to have been a personal political makeover.

Mayor Gondek insists this spending was necessary to improve communication from her office.

But, the agency provided media coaching, website redesign, speechwriting, and messaging support - services clearly aimed at reshaping her public image rather than addressing city-wide communication needs.

And, lo and behold, many of the messages and communications elements contained in this taxpayer-funded rebrand seem to be showing up in her campaign material, too.

We're sure that's just a coincidence, though? Right?

In reality, if the goal genuinely was just better communication, there were numerous ways to achieve that without creating a flashy new personal website, and exercises in empathy training, posture, eye contact, and hand gestures.

City communications could have been strengthened through the resources already available: existing City staff, proper channels, and improved internal coordination - without turning taxpayer funds into a personal rebranding campaign.

You could also (maybe?) justify this kind of expenditure if it were done as part of training at the start of a four-year term, and open and available to all elected officials, not just the Mayor.

Doing it just in time for a re-election campaign seems pretty blatant.

Calgarians deserve transparency, accountability, and integrity.

Over $100,000 in taxpayer money was used for services designed to make her appear more relatable, empathetic, and competent.

Taxpayer dollars should support City services, infrastructure, and the needs of citizens, not a personal PR campaign for the Mayor herself.

This spending blurs the line between official City duties and political ambition, undermines public trust, and sets a dangerous precedent for future elected officials.

Mayor Gondek must return these funds to taxpayers, acknowledge the misuse, and commit to prioritizing City services over personal image campaigns in the future.

We are calling on Mayor Gondek to reimburse the $107,324 to Calgary taxpayers personally (or at least from her campaign funds) and restore faith in City leadership.

Calgarians deserve a Mayor who respects the line between governance and electioneering, demonstrates integrity, and manages taxpayer money responsibly.

If you agree, please sign the petition.

Then, once you've signed, please pass this email on to your friends so they can sign too.

Who's Signing?

Spread the Word!
Sign in if you'd like new recruits to be credited to you.

Showing 3070 comments

Lorne Pankratz signed 2025-09-19 08:41:28 -0600
Cindy Barr signed 2025-09-19 08:41:21 -0600
Shawne Mohl signed 2025-09-19 08:41:18 -0600
Luana Tibrea signed 2025-09-19 08:40:59 -0600
Scott Cooper signed 2025-09-19 08:40:54 -0600
George Sanderson signed 2025-09-19 08:40:45 -0600
Marilyn Brooks signed 2025-09-19 08:40:37 -0600
Lynette Pittman signed 2025-09-19 08:39:49 -0600
Antonio Rodriguez signed 2025-09-19 08:39:48 -0600
Marty Hy signed 2025-09-19 08:39:32 -0600

Calgary has gone down hill fast in the last 15 years. Sad that people vote for it.
Kelly Mackay signed 2025-09-19 08:39:28 -0600

She’ll never pay it back but this will still help her lose the election
Lorelei Hurtubise signed 2025-09-19 08:39:21 -0600
Christopher Krawchuk signed 2025-09-19 08:39:04 -0600
Rita Jaster signed 2025-09-19 08:38:59 -0600
Cynthia McClare signed 2025-09-19 08:38:54 -0600
chipman zelinsky signed 2025-09-19 08:38:45 -0600
Sandra Bourdeau signed 2025-09-19 08:38:40 -0600

So tired of politicians driving their own agenda in office instead doing the job we the tax payers pay them to do… take care of our city’s physical health and structures, make sure we have proper essential services properly staffed of boots on the ground police fire and ems with a ratio of citizens to essential service provides and much less executives all around spending money that could easily go for a real purpose. They work for us!Do you job!
Murray Dinsmore signed 2025-09-19 08:38:28 -0600
Joanna Mertz signed 2025-09-19 08:36:27 -0600
Paul Lydon signed 2025-09-19 08:36:04 -0600
Mike Sho signed 2025-09-19 08:35:51 -0600
Cal Belsher signed via Johnnie sermeno 2025-09-19 08:35:33 -0600
Carey Kress signed 2025-09-19 08:35:21 -0600
George Payson signed 2025-09-19 08:34:40 -0600
Mark Powell signed 2025-09-19 08:34:36 -0600
Len Cocolicchio signed 2025-09-19 08:34:35 -0600

Mayor Gondek should go but if she wants to do something helpful for the citizens of Calgary before she goes, she should rescind the ill-conceived and disastrous blanket rezoning bylaw.
melissa tenhave signed 2025-09-19 08:34:16 -0600
Gail Molina signed via Johnnie sermeno 2025-09-19 08:34:01 -0600

Gondek could have simply listened and acted on the voices of us taxpayers such as not proceeding with blanket rezoning! She does whatever SHE wants with our taxpayers money. Sad.
Ernie Kitzul signed 2025-09-19 08:33:30 -0600
Neil Enock signed 2025-09-19 08:33:26 -0600