For the 2011-2012 school year, Surrey school trustees claimed $23,522 in expenses, an increase of around $2,500 from the previous year. The numbers were contained in the Statement of Financial Information (SOFI) report, an annual report detailing the school district's expenses each year.

Topping out the list for expenses was Laurae McNally, chair of the Board of Education for Surrey at $6,260, followed by vice chair Shawn Wilson with $5,583. Trustee Reni Masi claimed the third highest with $4,014 and trustees Laurie Larsen, Charlene Dobie and Terry Allen each claimed between $1,700 and $2,650.

Trustees Pam Glass and Ijaz Chatta came in with the lowest at $911 and $287 respectively. Chatta was not re-elected during last year's election, and his expenses cover the final six months of his tenure as a trustee.

According to the information provided in the report, expenses include "travel costs, memberships, tuition, relocation, vehicle leases, extraordinary hiring expenses and registration fees."

The report also detailed how much the district spent

on employee wages, of which $213,099 was spent on trustee remuneration. Other district employee wages, including teachers and management, came to $432.3 million for the year, bringing the total spent on wages to $435.5 million for the school year. The year prior, employee wages were $10 million less at $425.4 million.

On top of employee wages, the district spent $160 million on goods and services, including $52 million to the British Columbia Pension Corporation. Other expenditures include construction, health insurance and education equipment.

Now staff

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