John Dooley spent $14,278 in his unsuccessful Nelson mayoral campaign last fall, the most of the three candidates, according to financial disclosure statements released today by Elections BC.
That was compared to $10,350 that Deb Kozak spent winning the race. Pat Severyn, who finished third, spent $6,779. The figures include both cash donations and in-kind services.
More than a third of Dooley’s total campaign contributions came from a single source: Kalesnikoff Lumber of Thrums, which put up $5,000. Other key contributors were Nelson Ford ($1,000), K. and D. Higgins ($750), Ward Engineering and Land Surveying ($500), Andy Leathwood ($500), and Marwest Industries ($500). Shambhala (Rick and Sue Bundschuh) also gave Dooley's campaign $300, as did Tony Maida.
Dooley said the $5,000 from Kalesnikoff Lumber actually came from the Interior Lumber Manufacturers Association.
"It came through Kalesnikoff," he said. "The ILMA wasn't going to meet until a later date and he said, 'I will just write you the cheque and they will reimburse us.' I have been a supporter of the local forest industry and just like any other person that supports someone, they felt I was carrying their banner."
Asked to comment on how spending influenced the mayoral election, Dooley said, "If you are in a two-horse race, I think money is more of a factor than in our situation where we had a split vote. That is what did me in. It was not the fact that I spent more or less money."
Kozak’s contributors were mostly individuals. The largest single contribution was from Deryn Collier who provided $3,120 worth of services. Kozak also received cash or services worth $1,000 from her parents, Terrance and Kathleen Eddy; $1,000 from Joann Lowell; $800 from Sam Van Schie; and $500 from Faye Spilker. MLA Michelle Mungall donated $200.
"We ran a modest campaign in terms of cash donations," Kozak said. "I am grateful that I had a great team that hit the ground running. That paid off and the donations made it successful."
Severyn had $4,279 in outside contributions. He personally put up the rest. His largest expenditure — $3,300 — was on signs and billboards, which were repeatedly vandalized.
Severyn's biggest donations mostly came from businesses that also contributed to the Dooley campaign. For instance, the Civic Hotel (Brent Holowaychuk and Tanya Finley) gave $500 to Severyn, but Finley also gave $200 to Dooley. Nelson Hotel Ltd. (Dan and Joanne Rickaby) gave $500 each to Severyn and Dooley. Martech Electrical also donated $500 each to Dooley and Severyn. Pacific Insight gave Severyn a further $500.
The Hume Hotel (Dave and Sheila Martin) gave $200 to Severyn and $100 to Kozak.
In 2011, Dooley raised a little over $9,000 and spent about $8,600 en route to a landslide defeat over Richard Rowberry, who spent $132.
Candidates are required to disclose the amount they raise and spend on their campaigns within 90 days of the election. Individual donations of $100 or more must also be listed.
The full disclosure forms can be found below. For the first time, Elections BC has posted online all of the financial information from the 2014 local government elections.
This story was updated on February 26 to include the quotes from John Dooley and Deb Kozak.
(CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story contained incorrect spending totals for the three candidates.)