Portage mayor raises, spends more than $136,000 in campaign funds
NWI Times
Joyce Russell
Joyce Russell
January 24, 2017
PORTAGE — Mayor James Snyder's 2016 campaign spending doesn't pass the "stink test," according to two Hoosier political analysts.
Snyder, who was elected in 2015, raised in excess of $136,000 in campaign funding last year and spent it all in 2016, according to his campaign finance report.
Among the contributions to his campaign, outlined in the 2016 year-end report of receipts and expenditures of a political committee released Friday, was a $2,000 donation and $10,000 loan from his co-defendant in his federal bribery case.
John Cortina, who was indicted along with Snyder in November, has made donations to Citizens for Snyder for many years, said Snyder's campaign treasurer, Kenard Taylor. The donations support the Mayor's Roundtable, which brings other mayors to Portage for events.
"This year he also lent the campaign $10,000," Taylor said.
Practice not unusual for larger cities
While 2016 was not a mayoral election year, and Snyder has said he will not seek a third term as mayor, Taylor said it is not unusual for some politicians to raise funds in an off year.
"You'll find it goes both ways through the state. He went out and raised money for other candidates. He wants to help people who will promote Portage, help people who can help his community," said Taylor, who prepares campaign finance reports for other candidates as well.
Andrew Downs, director of the Michael Downs Center for Indiana Politics at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne, said it would not be uncommon for a politician to raise and spend money in an off-election year — had Snyder not announced he wasn't running for re-election.
Usually, said Downs and Hoosier political analyst Brian Howey, that is saved for larger cities and higher state or federal offices.
And while some candidates raise funds on off years, Howey said he finds it unusual for a mayor of a city the size of Portage to do so.
Commingling accounts
Howey was more surprised by Snyder's use of campaign funds to pay personal expenses.
Those include paying his wife $12,000 for campaign management; $11,300 to Taylor for consulting and financial services; $8,300 in rent toward his campaign office, which is shared space with his personal mortgage company; $9,700 to his company SRC LLC for his campaign's share in office supplies, equipment or salaries; $5,000 to himself as a loan repayment and $3,851 to Google for advertisements and web promotion.
There also are campaign expenses involving Snyder's golf outing and additional fundraisers, Taylor said.
"I haven't heard of that kind of intermingle of funds since the 1996 Pence congressional campaign," Howey said. "It is highly irregular commingling personal and campaign accounts."
Downs said Snyder's expenses are likely legal, but "don't pass the stink test."
Snyder did donate $12,300 to various Republican candidates and to the county Republican organization. He also used $22,000 to pay attorney Thomas Kirsh, who is defending him in federal court.
That too is legal, Taylor said, because the investigation and indictment involves his position as mayor.
Downs was surprised that Snyder maintains a campaign office year-round and pays campaign workers, as well as rent. Downs said even Fort Wayne's mayor doesn't maintain such an office. Most candidates, particularly in a city the size of Portage, might have a storefront for a few months around the election and a cellphone for someone to take calls.
Remaining expenditures went to meals, travel, charitable donations and other incidentals.
As for donations, Snyder received 35 donations of $2,000 or more, many coming from companies that do business with the city, including the city engineer, city attorney and Allen's Lawn Care, which holds the city's landscaping contract; Holladay Properties, developers of AmeriPlex and the Founders Promenade development; Marina Shores at Dune Harbor, which received approval to offer the first residential tax abatements in the city; Midnight Blue Towing, which is on the city's towing list; the Pangere Corp., contractors for the new fire station, and SEH of Munster, which holds several design/engineering contracts with the city.
Snyder's committee ended the year more than $19,000 in debt, including the loan from Cortina and the remaining money owed himself. He did not return an email request for comment.
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