Mayoralty Byelection Disclosure Report Received By Council

By Robert Thomas

How did candidates get the money for all of those election signs we saw in last November’s byelection mayoralty race and just how much did they spend was answered on Monday night.

In a report to Council returning officer and City Clerk Tracy Wittke presented the final returns from all nine candidates who tossed their hat into the ring to become Moose Jaw’s mayor.

Wittke reported to Council that all nine candidates submitted their candidate disclosures within the four month time frame to file the disclosures.

Filing campaign disclosures came into being in 2013 and is seen as a means to ensure all candidates spend within the limits but also at the same time allows transparency as all campaign contributions of $200 and over must be made public.

Prior to the introduction of the bylaw candidates could spend an unlimited amount of dollars without having to say where they got the money.

The spending limit for the Mayor’s race is based upon a formula of $0.75 per capita x 33,665 for an upper limit of $25,248.75.

Wittke announced that none of the nine candidates had exceeded the spending limited.

The candidate disclosures are available on-line at the City’s website or for those people who do not have access or use the Internet Wittke encouraged them and said they would be welcome if they dropped in at the City Clerk’s office to take a look.

Council approved the motion to accept the candidates declarations 7 - 0.

It also should be noted all nine candidates are now eligible to receive the return of their $100 deposit for returning their declarations within the four month time span.

Here is a breakdown of the expenses and contributions as filed by the nine candidates in the order they appeared in in the report:

Heather Eby - Expenses $5,865.77 Contributions $5,100 (difference made up by candidate)

Crystal Froese - Expenses $5,627.49 Contributions $3.450 (difference made up by candidate)

Michael Haygarth - Expenses $1,892.45 Contributions $0.00 (difference made up by candidate)

Brett McCaulley Expenses $3,128.38 Contributions $0.00 (difference made up by candidate)

Sam Morrison Expenses $8,274.61 Contributions $4,400 (difference made up by candidate)

Kim Robinson Expenses $1.335.40 Contributions $0 (difference made up by candidate)

Mike Simpkins Expenses $5,003.35 Contributions $0 (difference made up by candidate)

Clive Tolley Expenses $16,008 Contributions $16,008 (note candidate contributed $158)

Wayne Watermank Expenses $762.39 Contributions $0 (difference made up by candidate)