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City billed for woman's shrill voice help

Posted on: Tuesday, 24 March 2009, 07:05 CDT

Toronto taxpayers will pay the $4,500 bill a female city councilor incurred to help her overcome speaking in a shrill voice, the Toronto Star reported.

Councilor Karen Stintz told the newspaper she took lessons last June and October from U.S. author and vocal coach Lynda Spillane so she could better serve her constituents.

Stintz said some constituents told her she wasn't being as effective as she could be in her city hall presentations because she spoke too quickly and my voice at council could be shrill.

She said she researched the costs of other trainers before signing on with Spillane and the city clerk approved the expense before she started the training.

Stintz said she learned how to speak slower, when to pause and how to lower her voice.

The Star said she is positioning herself to challenge the mayor in next year's municipal election on a platform of reining in public spending.

Source: United Press International

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