Council candidates file second round of ELEC reports
All contributions over $300 disclosed
Three major election tickets and one independent candidate in the Asbury council race have filed their second round of campaign finance reports with the state Election Law Enforcement Commission [ELEC].
For campaigns raising more than $12,300, all contributions of $300 or more must be reported to ELEC. Those campaigns must also provide details on their expenditures, the total amount of money raised and the total amount they have spent.
AP Out Front has declared they will not raise more than $12,300. This means they need only report the contributions totaling more than $300. They are not required to disclose expenditures or the total amount they have raised.
Reports were due on May 3 for the period of April 13 through April 30. After April 30, any expenditures or contributions of more than $1,400 must be reported to ELEC within 48 hours for all tickets.
Contributions of $300 or more and their sources, as well as other campaign finance information, are listed below for the three election tickets required to make the detailed disclosures.
FORWARD ASBURY PARK
The incumbent-led Forward Asbury Park ticket received $11,252 in contributions for the reporting period and $20,075 to date. The ticket — with incumbents John Loffredo, Susan Henderson and Kevin Sanders, board of education member Gregory Hopson, and Will Potter — reported expenditures of $6,463 for a total of $10,440 to date.
Contributors over $300 included Gregory Haworth of Plainfield with a donation of $1,000; Coastal Creations Realty LLC of Asbury Park with a donation of $1,000; Jonathan Goodman of Livingston with a donation of $3,500; and William Mahr of Asbury Park with a donation of $500.
Information identifying the employer of contributors Haworth and Gordon were not listed on the report as required. The campaign is currently seeking that information and it will be added as an amendment to the report, campaign manager and treasurer Jocelyn Toledo said.
[UPDATE: Contributor Gregory Haworth is an attorney with the law firm of Duane Morris, LLP, according to a message received from Toledo after the posting of this story.]
The campaign was in compliance with its reporting of the contribution from Coastal Creations Realty LLC, but it is unclear after a search of state records by the Sun who owns that LLC. The campaign is sending a letter to the LLC to clarify that, Toledo said.
Some chose to make in-kind contributions, or donations of goods and services, to Forward Asbury Park. 1200 Corlies LLC of Ocean Grove donated $1500 in the form of campaign headquarters. This LLC is owned by Patrick Fasano, an Asbury Park developer, said Toledo.
Clyde Webster of Dancing in the Reign Company of Asbury Park made an in-kind contribution of $1,195 in the form of billboards and artwork.
Forward Asbury Park made an expenditure of $500 to “Liquid Emp,” the event organizers that planned a fundraiser for Forward Asbury Park in New York City at EVR Lounge.
The ticket had $9,635 in its account account at the close of the reporting period.
THE A-TEAM
The A-Team candidates — Remond Palmer, Duanne Small, Nora Hyland, Daniel Harris and Jim Keady — received $10,455 in contributions during the reporting period and $13,805 to date. Expenditures were $8,465 during the reporting period and total $10,237.79 to date.
Sources that contributed $300 or more were the Essex County Vocational Education Association with a donation of $500; 707 Bangs Ave. LLC of Asbury Park with a donation of $1,000; and Shea Law LLC of Asbury Park with a donation of $500.
State records indicate that Asbury Park developer Fasano is a principal in 707 Bangs Ave. LLC.
The campaign paid five individuals for get out the vote [GOTV] activities from April 13 through April 30. The A-Team paid $100 each to Alicia Hammary, Kiaiah Whitman, SheQuelle Harris and Timothy Wesley. Diteko Hammary was paid $292 for GOTV activities and postage. All are listed as ballot messengers in county records.
The use of messenger ballots has been controversial in the campaign, culminating in a search of the A-Team headquarters during which investigators from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office reportedly seized documents and materials related to the ballots.
The campaign also received an in-kind contribution from Citizens for Change political action committee [PAC] for $5,850 for lawn signs and billboards.
The A-Team also reported outstanding obligations of $4,000 to Diteko Hammary for rent and to Johnny Mac’s House of Spirits for $2,030 for a campaign kick-off event, which was held Feb. 23.
The campaign’s closing balance was $3,567.
ONE ASBURY:
The One Asbury ticket reported $2,870 in contributions during the reporting period and $14,131 to date. The slate — Amy Quinn, Myra Campbell, Joe Woerner, John Moor and Talesha Crank — reported expenditures of $4,385 during the reporting period and $9,229 to date.
Contributions of more than $300 came from John Luminoso of Asbury Park, who donated $500, and Daniel Baum of New York City, who donated $350 in in-kind creative services. The campaign spent $1,829 for signs with McLain Printing and paid campaign manager Meredith DeMarco of Bradley Beach $1,048 for consulting.
The campaign had $5,147 in its account at the end of the reporting period on April 30. After that date, a campaign must report any contributions or expenditures over $1,400 within 48 hours.
One Asbury reported an expenditure of $8,100 on May 3 to Strategic Message Management, Cranford, for mail consulting fees. The campaign deposited $3,135 in contributions on May 1, according to campaign manager Meredith DeMarco. That deposit included two loans of $1,000 to the campaign that day by candidates John Moor and Joe Woerner, with the balance made up of smaller contributions also received that day, she said.
INDEPENDENT RANDY THOMPSON
Thompson only has to report contributions over $300 as he previously filed a statement with ELEC saying he would not raise more than $5,200. He reported contributions of $1000 from the Realtors Political Action Committee, Edison and $1,000 for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, East Windsor.
OTHER CANDIDATES
Independent candidate Harold V. Suggs has not filed any reports with ELEC. This is permissible by state statute if a candidate does not plan to raise or spend any money on his or her campaign.
The AP Out Front ticket recently filed its initial designation of treasurer and campaign bank account, along with reports of contributions of more than $300. That ticket has stated it will not raise more than $12,300, so the guidelines governing its disclosure of contributions and expenditures differ from those governing the above three tickets.
The city council election is next Tuesday, May 14, and all five council seats are up for grabs. Voters will pick five from a field of 22 candidates. The winners then select a mayor from amongst themselves. The current council’s terms expire on June 30, with new four-year terms starting on July 1.
————————————————————
Follow the Asbury Park Sun on Facebook and Twitter.