Michael Di Biase

Michael Di Biase
Mayor of Vaughan, Ontario
In office 2002–2006
Preceded by	Lorna Jackson
Succeeded by	Linda Jackson

Michael Di Biase is a former Regional Councillor, deputy mayor and mayor of) Vaughan, Ontario, an exurb of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was first elected to the city's council in 1986. Following the death of Mayor Lorna Jackson in 2002, Di Biase was appointed acting mayor by virtue of his position as senior regional councillor (a position he had held since 1988). In the 2003 municipal election, Di Biase won his first official term as mayor.

He became the first chairman of the Vaughan Health Care Foundation, an independent non-profit organization established by the city of Vaughan on 16 January 2004 to "bring a hospital and ancillary services" to the city.

The Globe and Mail newspaper reports that Di Biase received an annual salary of $164,074, making him one of the highest-paid municipal politicians in the country. The next highest paid mayor was Hazel McCallion of Mississauga at $158,704. The mayor of the largest city in Canada, David Miller of Toronto, received $143,635 per year. The average salary of Vaughan councillors was $102,657 which is second to that of Mississauga at $113,296, while Toronto councillors earn $85,497.

In the 2006 municipal election, Di Biase faced Lorna Jackson's daughter Linda Jackson and lost by 90 votes in one of the closest races of the night. After a court-ordered recount completed on April 26, 2007, which had been initiated by Di Biase, it was confirmed that Jackson had indeed won the election. Di Biase has stated he will accept the results.

...
Wikipedia