Citizens for Change PAC reports $4,000 in new contributions
PAC paid ballot messengers, A-Team signs and billboards
The Asbury-based Citizens for Change political action committee [PAC] has reported two new contributions totaling $4,000. The PAC is linked to the A-Team slate in the city council election.
On May 4, Granville and Linda Bozarth, Vincentown, contributed $2,500 and a South Jersey-based PAC, Voters United NJ, contributed $1,500, according to a report filed with the state Election Law Enforcement Commission [ELEC].
The Bozarths also contributed $2,500 to the PAC in March. Voters United NJ has been linked to Atlantic City Mayor Lorenzo Langford in published reports.
The Citizens for Change PAC has paid for lawns signs and billboards as in-kind contributions to the A-Team ticket in the Asbury Park City Council race. The PAC paid several individuals for get out the vote [GOTV] activities who are also listed as ballot messengers in the county election offices.
The A-Team candidates are Remond Palmer, Duanne Small, Nora Hyland, Daniel Harris and Jim Keady. The use of ballot messengers has been controversial in the campaign. The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, which searched the A-Team’s campaign headquarters last week, is investigating messengers’ handling of ballots delivered to voters.
Citizens for Change treasurer Darryl Hammary failed to disclose the source of three campaign contributions totaling $7,000 on the PAC’s first quarter report filed on April 15. Earlier this week, Hammary said he would amend the report by Friday to include the names of the contributors, which he disclosed to the Sun.
The Bozarths’ March contribution of $2,500 was one of the three that Hammary disclosed. Also contributing were Kenneth and Laura Diamond of Morganville, who donated $2,500 on March 15, and Monmouth Entertainment Inc.of Manalapan, which donated $2,000 on March 20.
Laura Diamond was a contributor to the incumbents in the last council election in 2009, according to ELEC reports. That year, she gave $1,000 to the incumbent ticket which included John Loffredo, Susan Henderson and Kevin Sanders — the council members running for reelection this year. Diamond is president of Grand Technology Inc. of Englishtown, according to the 2009 ELEC reports. Grand Technology Inc. is a janitorial supply, facility maintenance equipment and specialty chemical company, as described on its website.
Those three contributions of $7,000 disclosed by Hammary earlier this week, along with a $50 contribution by Hammary, represent the $7,050 raised in the first quarter by the PAC. All but $6.30 has been spent, according to the PAC’s April 15 filing.
Until the PAC’s next quarter report is due in July, it only needs to report contributions over $1400. Those must be reported 48 hours after receipt. The two new contributions from the Bozarths and Voters United NJ received by the PAC on May 6 were reported that day.
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.
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