Mayor Malcolm Brodies run for re-election attracted almost a quarter of a million dollars from donors, campaign contribution documents reveal.
The files list his campaigns proceeds, income and expenses from 2009 through 2011 which climb into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, while his opponent Richard Lees financial disclosures are dwarfed in contrast.
Brodie raked in $224,750 from individual, corporate and organization donors during those three years.
Funds went primarily towards campaign advertising and dinner fundraisers, the latter costing nearly $120,000.
Advertising billed as being radio, television, newspaper, periodical or electronic-based cost $63,856.06, with the majority of the remaining advertising expenses going towards signs, flyers and other printed materials at a fee of just over $25,000.
Other election expenses brought the sum up to almost another $120,000, not including dinners.
Richard Lee, who received 9,054 votes to Brodies 20,955, couldnt compete with those five- and six-digit sums.
Lee took in $6,133.80 of donations, all of which notably came in during 2011.
He put most of that towards advertising, with expenses totaling $5,750.44 altogether.
Thats less than the amount Brodies biggest single contributor donated: Progressive Construction made five separate payments amounting to $8,750 to Brodies campaign fund. Among the hundreds of contributors to the fund, several others stand out: Anson Realty ($3,750); Am-Pri Construction ($3,750); Aspac Developments ($1,500); Concord Pacific Group, which is overseeing the Capstan Village Development ($3,750); CUPE Local 394 ($750) and Great Canadian Gaming Corporation, which owns the River Rock Casino ($2,900). Like Lee, most city councillor candidates had campaign funds in the low thousands.
Carol Day received a meager $1,600 in contributions, and, of that, $500 was from the Richmond Firefighters Association. Her expenses, however, were $3,914.94. And Olympian Alexa Loo, who also received a $500 donation from the Firefighters Association, listed both contributions and expenses at $1,611.34.
Evelina Halsey-Brandt is an exception, though, with a race fund of almost $24,000. About half of that was made up of her own personal contribution to her campaign, but she received a number of donations from organizations including: Progressive Contracting, Polygon Homes and Great Canadian Gaming Corporation.
The deadline for candidates posting their campaign expenses and donations is Monday, March 19.
