The free tickets the city is offering to Vancouver councillors, park board commissioners, and their spouses or partners to attend the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics cost taxpayers more than $60,000.

As far as COPE councillor David Cadman is concerned, these freebies are nothing more than “a perk of position”.

That’s the reason why he, COPE councillor Ellen Woodsworth, and COPE park commissioner Loretta Woodcock are declining the tickets.

“We didn’t have an official function to be there and the litmus test that I use was: ”˜Was I prepared if offered those tickets to buy them with my own personal resources?,’” Cadman told the Straight. “And my answer was no.”

Cadman added, “If I’m not prepared to buy them, then how can I expect taxpayers to buy them for me?”

The COPE councillor also noted that at a time city hall is laying off staff due to budget problems, the cost of the tickets could save a staff position or even more if they are part-time or auxiliary jobs.

Cadman said each councillor and park commissioner will get two tickets worth $2,200 for the opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter Games. They’ll also get two tickets worth $1,500 for the closing event.

“If we have to be there as a councillor or a parks commissioner in our official capacity to host, then okay, maybe there’s a reason to be there,” Cadman said. “In this case, this is simply a perk of position.”

In a separate interview, Woodsworth recalled that during last year’s budget deliberations, she had urged council to re-sell the tickets the city had purchased for the Olympics.

“The taxpayers have already paid for them,” Woodsworth said. “Anybody who wants an Olympic ticket should pay for it.”