Langford campaign finance questions
Posted by Cheryl McLachlan on November 13, 2008
Monday Magazine has an article on the incumbents’ campaign finances from the 2005 election that is of interest. Apparently over 80% of the funds they raised were anonymous corporation donations in the last election, an impressive feat given it was done in under-$100 increments.
The week – November 13
Posted By: Monday Magazine Staff
11/12/2008 8:00 AMLangford campaign questions
While campaigning for re-election in 2005, Langford councillor and current CRD board chair Denise Blackwell told the Goldstream Gazette, “Langford Council has worked as a team and the results are visible.” Longtime Langford politician John Goudy told the same publication, “I’m proud to be a member of a team that has delivered so many significant achievements for our community.”
Since the members of mayor Stew Young’s council of unanimity consider themselves a team, perhaps its no surprise that they seemed to draw from the same pool of financial backers in the 2005 election.
Despite their professed independence, financial disclosure statements filed by the incumbent Langford councillors after the 2005 election show that all six received the same bundle of 33 corporate donations of $99 each—or $3,200 to each candidate. In addition, all six received a $500 donation from Capital City Paving, and a $250 donation from the Bear Mountain Master Partnership.
No elector organizations registered to support any of the Langford candidates in 2005.
The donations are listed individually in the forms as anonymous, although if they are known to be corporate, it is difficult to see how they could be anonymous. According to the province’s Local Government Act, donors who give under $100 can remain undisclosed.
Blackwell did not return Monday’s call to discuss how six “independent” councillors all received identical amounts of funding, or from where that money might have materialized.
