$20,000 spent promoting Cole County sales tax

Meanwhile, Jefferson City council candidates report their campaign expenditures

Nearly $20,000 was spent promoting the renewal of the Cole County half-cent capital improvement sales tax, which was approved last month by almost 80 percent of voters.

Issues and candidates on the April ballot are required to file with either the Cole County clerk or the Missouri Ethics Commission if they plan to or have raised and spent more than $1,000.

According to documents filed for the Citizens for Proposition A committee, $20,100 was raised to support the renewal and $19,433 had been spent as of April 1. Listed donors to the campaign include DeLongs, Architects Alliance, Central Missouri Professional Services, Central Bancompany, Hawthorn Bank, Jefferson Bank, Central Missouri Building Industries Association, Cole County Industries Company, Capital Quarries, Capital Sand, Jefferson Asphalt, MidAmerica Bank and Bartlett & West.

The largest single donor to the campaign was the Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce’s Civic Progress Committee, which contributed $10,000.

The only opposition to Proposition A that spent money on the campaign came from county resident and candidate for Eastern District commissioner on the August ballot Ed Williams. Williams did not file any campaign finance reports, as he did not spend more than $1,000. He said he only spent money on News Tribune advertisements in the Classified section and, according to News Tribune records, he spent $221.

Jefferson City Council

Five seats on the Jefferson City Council were also on the April ballot, though only two of those had races.

In the 2nd Ward, incumbent J. Rick Mihalevich won against a challenge from Bud Fisher, receiving 66.8 percent of the vote.

According to an April 15 report filed with the Cole County clerk, the Vote for Mihalevich committee had listed receipts totaling $3,627 and expenditures totaling $1,896, leaving $1,149 in money on hand. The committee also reported debt of $257, as the committee had received a loan from Mihalevich and his wife, Connie, of $1,207. The report listed two specific donors: former Mayor Eric Struemph, who gave $125, and Central Bancompany, which gave $150.

A report filed March 28 with the Missouri Ethics Commission showed the Committee to Elect Bud Fisher had listed receipts totaling $1,045 and expenditures totaling $1,027. No specific donors were listed in that report, though an earlier report filed Feb. 25 specified a $500 donation from Clyde Lear.

On April 12, the committee filed a statement of limited activity stating “neither the aggregate amount of contributions received nor the aggregate amount of expenditures made by the committee exceeded $500” for the remainder of the election period.

In the 4th Ward, incumbent Glen Costales won against a challenge from David Durbin, receiving 54.19 percent of the vote.

Costales did not file any campaign finance reports, as he said he was self-funded and fell under the reporting threshold of $1,000.

According to an April 15 report filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission, the Friends of David Durbin committee had listed receipts totaling $4,988 and expenditures totaling $2,474, leaving $1,857 in money on hand. The committee also reported debt of $740, as the committee had received loans from Durbin of $1,295.

The report and an earlier report filed March 28 listed more than 20 specific donors, including $100 from James Tergin, $100 from former Mayor John Landwehr, $100 from Stephanie Bell and $500 from Pyramid Home Health Services.

In the 1st Ward, incumbent Rick Prather was unopposed, though reports were filed for the Citizens for Rick Prather Committee with the Missouri Ethics Commission. All reports listed $9,000 in all receipts, $6,356 in all expenditures and $829 in money on hand, though all funds were raised and spent in previous election cycles.

In the 3rd Ward, Erin Wiseman was unopposed, as she sought the seat previously held by Bob Scrivner, who was term-limited and could not run again. The committee Friends for Erin Wiseman had raised funds through February, and reports filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission show the committee had listed receipts totaling $2,034 and expenditures totaling $102, leaving $1,856 in money on hand as of Feb. 17. The only donors specified were listed on a report filed on Jan. 14, which lists $250 from Gail White, $150 from Jim Swearengen and $150 from Sally Bodenhamer.

All reports filed since March 29 were statements of limited activity stating “neither the aggregate amount of contributions received nor the aggregate amount of expenditures made by the committee exceeded $500” for the remainder of the election period.

In the 5th Ward, incumbent Larry Henry was unopposed. The Citizens for Larry Henry committee did file reports with the Missouri Ethics Commission, but the reports listed no funds raised or spent during this election cycle.