Where is your money going? A new Knesset report published Wednesday revealed how Knesset members have been spending the voter's hard earned cash, with one member spending over NIS 94,000 ($25,147) on voter relations.
MK Otniel Schneller (Kadima )spent some NIS 94,000 to maintain voter relations in the past year, including NIS 24,000 ($6,420) on professional counseling, NIS 15,000 ($4,000) on a survey and over NIS 38,000 ($10,165) on renting a parliamentary office. Minister Benny Begin, however, managed to avoid spending even one penny on his connection with the public.
Israel's Knesset (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
The annual report also showed that MK Eli Aflalo (Kadima) spent NIS 26,680 ($7,137) on a promotional clip and an additional NIS 7,000 ($1,872) on a website. All in all Aflalo spent some NIS 54,000 ($14,446).
Battling Schneller for first place as biggest spender, is MK Raleb Majadele (Labor )who set up a internet site for the cost of NIS 17,000 ($4,547) and another NIS 9,000 ($2,407) on printing and photocopying. He drew up the total of NIS 83,000 ($22,204).
Another name high on the list was MK Talab El-Sana (United Arab List-Ta'al ),who organized a convention for NIS 8,500 ($2,273), bought a laser printer for NIS 5,700 ($1,524) and two cellophanes costing NIS 6,313 ($1,688).
The Knesset budget for preserving the connection with the voter stands on NIS 64,911 ($17,365), however it may be accumulated from the previous year and therefore increase expenses. Such is the case of MK Said Naffaa (Balad ),who spent NIS 74,134 ($19,832) in the passing year after purchasing two computers for NIS 11,785 ($3,152), officer furniture for NIS 6,203 ($1,659) and an internet subscription costing NIS 3,982 ($1,065).
MK Hanin Zoabi (Balad) spent over NIS 31,000 ($8,293) on rent for her office, NIS 4,408 ($1,179) for a website and another NIS 9,890 ($2,645) on "media expenses."
In a surprise turn of events, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who recently sold his Tel Aviv luxury apartment, spent only NIS 345 ($92) on his connections to the public.