Most Parksville candidates in last November’s municipal election have reported their election expenses — and one could be a city record.
The two highest profile candidates for mayor — Chris Burger and Paul Reitsma — predictably spent more than the others. Former mayor Reitsma topped the list at $11,937, beating Ed Mayne’s 2008 record of $10,717.
Burger, who’d been on council for 12 years and was the acting mayor for the year before the election spent $3,792, with the most ($1,953) going to advertising, followed by $920 spent on signs and flyers and $768 on postage.
Burger and Reitsma both report they paid all of their election expenses themselves, not listing any contributors.
While Burger ended up spending about $1.60 per vote in his successful bid, disgraced former MLA Reitsma’s expenses work out to almost 10 times as much at $15.94 per vote.
As previously reported, fringe mayoral candidate Richard Honaizer spent $200 and Antonio Farinha didn’t spend anything.
Among council, with three yet to report, Marc Lefebvre spent the most, followed by Al Greir and Sue Powell. They were followed in spending by newcomers Bill Neufeld and Peter Morrison.
Reporting in since the last PQB News story — incumbent, Carrie Powell-Davidson spent the least of any successful candidate.
The unsuccessful candidates spent comparatively little.
Candidates have until March 19 to disclose their finances, after which they are fined $500. If they are more than a month late they are disqualified from running for municipal office again, though Parksville election officer Lynn Kitchen said she didn’t know of that ever happening in Parksville.
In order of expenses / votes
Paul Reitsma $11,937 / 749
Chris Burger $3,792 / 2,355
R. Honaizer $200 / 76
A. Farinha $0 / 51
Marc Lefebvre $2,059 / 1,739
Al Greir $1,755 / 1,607
Sue Powell $1,749 / 1,926
Bill Neufeld $1,437 / 1,296
Peter Morrison $1,400 / 1,269
Peter Simkin $1,078 1,012
C. Powell-Davidson $632 / 1,400
Patricia Sibley $165 / 764
T. Patterson $30 / 1,182
Alicia Vanin - ? / 713
Jim Banks - ? / 1,160
J. Schroeder - ? ? 1,037
Charlie Stone $0 / 542