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Bond backers take in more money
By Brandi Hart, McKinney Courier-Gazette
Proponents of the Collin County bond package that will go to voters on Nov. 6 have raised almost 35 times more money than bond opponents, according to campaign finance information provided to the county this week.
Specific-purpose committees had until Monday to turn their campaign finance reports — known as the eight-day report because they are due eight days before the election — to the Collin County Elections Office. However, treasurers of the committees supporting the Collin County bond packages and opposing alcohol sales in Anna mailed their reports to the Collin County Elections Office postmarked Monday, confused by or ignorant of a new state law.
The law, passed in this year’s legislative session and effective on Sept. 1, states that the eight-day report must be in the appropriate election agency’s hands by the eighth day before the election. Previously, reports were counted as having complied with the deadline if they were postmarked as of the deadline day, according to Tim Sorrells, deputy general counsel for the Texas Ethics Commission. That option applies only to the semiannual report each committee and candidate must file, Sorrells said.
George Elking, of Plano, is the treasurer for the pro-bond election committee, the Citizens for the Future of Collin County, which was formed to promote the approval of the three county bond proposals: $235.6 million for various transportation projects throughout the county; $17 million for open space projects; and $76.3 million for county facilities.
Elking had the finance reports mailed to the Collin County Elections Office with a Monday postmark, Elking said. The committee has received $35,544.77 in contributions, Elking said.
Collin County Commissioner Jerry Hoagland is listed on the campaign treasurer report as the person who appointed Elking as committee treasurer. Charlene Haupt, of Sachse, is the assistant campaign treasurer.
The committee opposing the transportation bond proposal is called Vote No On Transportation Pork. As of Saturday, the campaign had received $1,349.80 in contributions and had $2,399.80 in expenditures.
Kerri Kingsbery, of Frisco, is the committee’s campaign treasurer. She contributed $55 for a post-office box for the committee on Oct. 9. Other contributors include William C. Mills, of Fairview, who contributed $34.20 on Oct. 10 for refreshments for a fund-raiser and gathering held for the committee.
John Wroten, of Fairview, contributed $500 on Oct. 16. A “Mr. Lottie,” who was listed only as living in Fairview and was reported to have contributed $100 on Oct. 23, is actually Richard Lottie, of McKinney. Michael Massey, of McKinney, also contributed $250 to the committee on Oct. 25. John Handcock, of McKinney, contributed $200 on Oct. 25.
The anti-bond committee’s total contributions add up to $1,139.20, which is less than the $1,349.80 the committee reported as total contributions. Collin County Elections Office deputy elections administrator Patty Seals said the office just keeps the filings and does not monitor what is listed on the financial reports. The Texas Ethics Commission would be responsible for receiving complaints or concerns about the reports, according to elections office officials.
In Anna, City Council member Keith Green is the treasurer for the Keep Anna Growing, which wants to keep the legal sale of alcoholic beverages for off premise consumption in Anna. Keep Anna Growing received $25,970 in contributions and had $22,225 in expenditures as of Oct. 9.
The finance report listed contributions from the following people and businesses from July 27 to Oct. 4: Green contributed $20 on July 27; Antoine Freeway Mart Inc. contributed $2,000 on Aug. 2; Anna Plaza, Inc. contributed $1,200 on Aug. 15; the Anna Town Center contributed $1,000 on Aug. 13; and the Anna Market Center Ltd. Contributed $500 on Aug. 2; Robert and Kelli Henderson contributed $1,000 on Aug. 2; GTF Investments Ltd. Contributed $2,000 on Aug. 2; Stephen and Karen Watson contributed $1,000 on Aug. 2; Ginana Inc. contributed $2,000 on Aug. 2; and the Distilled Spirits Committee contributed $15,250 on Oct. 1.
The committee had the following expenditures from July 27 to Oct. 4: $1,475 to Primary Media on Aug. 16; $5,500 to radio station KLAK 97.5 FM on Aug. 21; and $15,250 to Texas Petition Strategies on Oct. 1, per the expenditure report received by the elections office on Oct. 9.
As of Oct. 27, the committee received $18,800 in contributions and had $19,242.25 in expenditures. The committee received the following contributions from Oct. 5 to Oct. 27: $800 from Anna Plaza; $2,000 from Antoine Freeway Mart Inc.; $1,000 from Frank Leutwyler; and $15,000 from the Distilled Spirits Committee.
The committee had the following expenditures from Oct. 5 to Oct. 27: $4,398.40 to Primary Media on Oct. 16; $918.40 to the U.S. Postal Service on Oct. 16; $884.45 to Primary Media on Oct. 19; $41 to Eric Howton for postage stamps on Oct. 23; and $15,000 to the Texas Petition Strategies on Oct. 25 for consulting.
Green said he is planning to file a complaint with the Texas Ethics Commission later this week because a treasurer report and finance report was not filed by members of the Anna Alcohol Repeal Committee by the Monday deadline.
City Council member Billy Deragon is a member of the Anna Alcohol Repeal Committee and said the treasurer of the committee is Jeremy Hersom, who mailed the report to the elections office with a Monday postmark. Deragon said it was not the treasurer’s fault that he did not know about the new law requiring reports to be received by Monday. He said he compiled the filing schedule online in February of this year, before the law was changed.
The committee had $1,045 in expenditures and about $1,500 to $1,600 in contributions as of Monday, Deragon said.
The committee’s Web site www.annaalcoholrepeal.com does not list any committee members and does not have a phone number to contact, but it does include an e-mail to donate money at AnnaAlcoholRepeal@yahoo.com.
Kimberly Dawes-Luther, the president of the Anna Chamber of Commerce, also is a member of the committee. Luther could not be reached for comment on Tuesday on her cell phone, which is also the number for the chamber, because her voicemail box was full. Aaron Gonzales, a pastor in the Dallas area who worked with the Anna Alcohol Repeal Committee as a consultant, is not a member of the committee, Deragon said.
Contact staff writer Brandi Hart at hartb@acnpapers.com. To post comments online, access this story at www.scntx.com.
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
No Surprise wrote on Oct 31, 2007 10:59 AM:
" Money begets money. You've got to have money to make money. It is no surprise that "bond backers" who want more of our tax money have more money already. "
Interested wrote on Oct 31, 2007 11:55 AM:
" Please publish the contributors to the pro bond package. "
Shocked! wrote on Oct 31, 2007 6:37 PM:
" As the saying goes........."follow the money".
Whose pockets are going to be lined on this deal?
I pay lots of taxes to Collin County and can't even get my county road graded. It's all going to the cities for their streets. "
McKinney Resident wrote on Nov 1, 2007 2:03 PM:
" Follow the money is right. According to the Dallas Morning News 1 Nov. 2007; "The records also show that the pro-bond group is receiving its donations in large chunks – the group lists several $1,000 donations from engineering firms, consultants and lawyers." Those who will make money if the bonds pass.
The vote no group has fewer dollars but more contributors. Is a picture forming here?
"
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