Five of ten mayoral candidates fail to file campaign finances

 

By: Tom Duggan – October, 2009

Only half of the ten candidates running for mayor in Lawrence filed their campaign finances reports with Lawrence City clerk Billy Maloney by the September 15th deadline before the primary.

By state law, candidates for all municipal offices must record and file a detailed accounting of all money raised and spent on their campaign. Candidates are also mandated to declare all “in kind” donations such as donated materials for signs, food for fund-raisers, discounts on function halls or free radio advertisements.

Candidate finance reports cover the period from January 20, 2009 to September 4, 2009.

Not filing their campaign finances on time as required by law were: Nilka Alvarez-rodriguez, Marcos Devers, Nunzio DiMarca, State rep. Willie Lantigua and Padro Payano. Nunzio DiMarca did file his finances late.

Of those who did file their campaign finances, Israel Reyes raised the most, collecting $42,193 since January and with a previous balance of $43,232 in his account reyes had a whopping $85,426 to spend before the primary.

Reyes spent $55,330 prior to the September 4th filing deadline, giving him $30,095 to spend in the final days of the campaign. Reyes lent his campaign $40,395.

Lawrence District E City Councilor Dave Abdoo was the highest fund raiser collecting $48,318, spending $32,922 leaving him with $15,396 to spend in the final days before the primary. Abdoo has $5,533 in outstanding liabilities. 

Lawrence City Council President Patrick Blanchette raised a modest $21,246 and spent $14,430 leaving him with a balance of $6,816. Blanchette declared that he had no liabilities and accepted no “in-kind” contributions. 

Both Dan Cotnoir and Julia Silverio had a negative balance in their account before the September primary. Cotnoir only raised $1,394 but spent $1,904 with a negative balance of $690. Cotnoir has $2,849 in outstanding bills for his campaign.

Julia Silverio raised a modest $17,233 but spent nearly twice as much ($32,522) leaving her a negative balance of $15,288. 

Silverio lent her campaign $13,000 and owes nearly $5,000 in rent for her campaign headquarters. 

As of the date The Valley Patriot published out October 2009 edition (October 7th) State rep. Willie Lantigua, who placed first out of the ten mayoral candidates has yet to file his campaign finances.