ERIN – Spending in last fall’s Erin election was up 56 per cent compared to 2014, with some candidates accepting significant donations and others nothing at all.
Total spending by all Erin candidates was $49,602 in 2018.
In the 2014 Erin election, total spending by all candidates was $31,802, including $12,880 spent by three mayoral candidates, $5,217 by three county council candidates and $13,705 by nine town council candidates.
The legal spending limit for the 2018 election was $14,827 for mayoral candidates and $12,327 for county and town council candidates.
The total of monetary donations exceeding $100, plus the value of donated goods and services, was $25,486, for all candidates.
Full copies of the financial reports are available at erin.ca. The following highlights, with figures rounded, do not include funds contributed by candidates or spouses.
Total spending by the three mayoral candidates in 2018 was $14,048. Mayor Allan Alls (elected) spent $7,903 (including $442 for a party) and received donations of $7,050.
His largest donations ($500 or more) were from James Dick ($1,200), Ching Chen ($1,000), Manuel Tavares ($500), Tom Dolson ($500), Marvin Lenstra ($500), Joachim Dettbarn ($500), Joe Burchell ($500), Norman McClure ($500) and Lucjan Janeczek ($500).
The other two mayoral candidates accepted no donations. Michael Dehn spent $2,046 and Paul Dermott $4,128.
In the county council race, elected candidate Jeff Duncan spent $15,102. That includes $2,825 he opted to spend for an audit of his election financial statement, which is not subject to the spending limit.
Not including the exempt amount, his expenses were $12,277. This included $2,500 in donations he made to community groups, once his normal election expenses were covered.
Duncan received contributions totalling $11,350. Those of $500 or more were from Elfi McArthur ($1,200), Roy McArthur ($1,200), Tomislav Flanjak ($1,200), Pasquale Settembri ($1,200), Tomas Krizan ($1,200), Adam Pearce ($1,000), Joshua Aitken ($1,000), Lucjan Janeczek ($1,000), Joachim Dettbarn ($500), Marvin Lenstra ($500) and Tom Dolson ($500).
County candidate Pierre Brianceau spent $3,425 and accepted no donations.
In the town council race, among elected candidates, John Brennan spent $3,352 and received $2,500 in donations over $100, including $500 each from Ryan Clermont, Glenda Dettbarn, Tom Dolson, Norman McClure and Lucjan Janeczek. Jamie Cheyne spent $2,351 and received donated goods valued at $38.
Mike Robins spent $1,417 and accepted no donations.
Rob Smith spent $2,924 (including $1,159 for a victory party) and received $2,500 in donations. These were $500 each from Tom Dolson, Marvin Lenstra, Joachim and Glenda Dettbarn, Lucjan Janeczek and Norman and Tracey McClure.
Among town candidates who were not elected, Cynthia Anderson Mancia spent $4,596 and received donated goods (balloons and signs) valued at a total of $2,086.
John Gainor spent $2,016 and accepted no donations. Liz Armstrong, who dropped out of the race but still got 595 votes, spent $353 and accepted no donations – returning $1,250 to contributors.
Doug Hodgson dropped out of the race but still got 174 votes; he spent $20 and accepted no donations.
