Green’s Campaign Most Expensive Ever
Thursday, March 15, 2012 @ 4:16 PM
Prince George, B.C. – According to the disclosure documents filed today, Mayor Shari Green spent $81,147.55 to get elected. That makes it the most expensive election campaign in the history of the City on a campaign platform that promised fiscal responsibility.
Of that amount, she collected $80,802.55 through campaign donations, with the single largest donation coming from the Treasure Cove Casino at $13,440.00 . The Treasure Cove Hotel also kicked in $873.60.
Other significant donations came from the following:
Northern Steel $5 thousand
Wolftek Industries $3 thousand
Brink Forest Products $7 thousand
Jordy’s Lounge $5 thousand
Ms. Green reports she contributed $2,855.04 of her own money.
Of the funds raised, she spent $14,040.00 on rent, insurance and utilities for her campaign headquarters. She also spent $8,055.00 on “compensation paid to persons for campaign work”.
She spent $27,000.67 on advertising, and a further $21,599.04 on signs pamphlets flyers and brochures.
She campaigned on a platform of fiscal responsibility and promised to reduce the City’s spending by 10%. She also promised a core review to identify efficiencies.
With 6969 votes to give her the victory, the Mayor’s campaign cost, $11.64 per vote.
Comments
Campaign workers. Translation—–Marshall Smith
Marshall Smith says he did not receive any money from the Sheri Green campaign.
“I was a volunteer and did not receive any money”.
Marshall was responding to a post on Opinion250
I spent $306 dollars. Bummer!
Where did the other $43,000 come from ? Is this information available on the City Website?
Nice to see you can still get good value for a buck. Money well spent
Interesting to note that the largest single amount came from the “little” people who were putting quarters into slots hoping they would win the big one.
I assume the Casino gave funds to a few other people running for City City Council.
I guess, like any kind of purchase, once it is in the hands of the business, it is no longer up to the purchaser how it is spent. Just good to remember.
I wonder what that $80k in contributions will cost us over the 3 years of her term. Political contributions have to be repaid in kind. If they didn’t, businesses wouldn’t hand them out.
I love how the media is critical about all of the money that campaigns spend….when they are the ones cashing the advertising checks!!!
I can’t help but notice a very large and expensive Pat BEll banner on this page. I don’t hear any criticisms of the good Minister coming from 250….HMMM. Food for thought.
The amount of contributions that any candidate receives is directly proportionate to the electorates desire for change…there is no question that it is a lot of money.
Maybe the media could offer free advertising during campaigns or better yet ban advertising all together….HMMM ya. I didn’t think so!
It will be interesting to see what Dan Rogers spent?
“With 6969 votes to give her the victory, the Mayorâs campaign cost, $11.64 per vote.”
So what? And I agree with the post above, I don’t see much compaining from the media (i.e. radio, tv, newpapers, internet, etc.) when cashing political advertising cheques.
Keep a close eye on the patronage appts and contracts. Interesting how green has already started to sow the seeds of PPP here in PG. Better start looking for work now public works people because you are either going to have to take a large drop in pay and go to work for a contractor or move to another town and try to get on with the city there. This core review is just the catalyst to outsource as much city works as possible. Too bad the bureaucrats at city halls couldn’t be paid by performance also.
I agree johnny belt. If the media wasnt lined up at the door to be paid for advertising during campaigns they wouldnt be so expensive. Its alot of double speak to then point fingers at the politicians while cashing the checks out the other side of their face.
When you begin paying for the read you get on Opinion250 we wonât need to run advertising and I see from your IP address that both JohnnyBelt and pgiscrazy read us allot.
As for Pat Bell ask him if he gets special treatment, and further ask anyone if Ben Meisner can be bought.
I see from your IP address you both read us allot, and why shouldnât you ,we are the most read news source in the central and northern part of the province and that is very annoying for many.
The province recognizes that and so when they want to get their message out they come to us.
Finally we have lost advertising from some of you in the past because we have taken a position in telling the story, and we will continue to do so at the risk of losing that advertising.
In our world the story should be told, all be it, even if it annoys people, we put our name to a story and are not afraid to do it.
I’m really surprised that the above businesses would make such large donations into a poor investment. After all that doe only 6969 votes for Shari? Was it worth it?
Cadillacs, Lincolns, Lexus et al don’t like pot holes either and shocks and front ends are really expensive on these cars…but then again if they have that much money to gamble on Green, they probably don’t care. At least one contributor is getting a new dike built along his place of business!
Take a guess who the Liberals are :)
meisner: “I see from your IP address you both read us allot, and why shouldnât you ,we are the most read news source in the central and northern part of the province and that is very annoying for many.”
I’m not sure what your point is, other that to toot your own proverbial horn. I’m not sure who that would be annoying to. It’s certainly not to me.
Since you took the time to respond, clearly, we must have touched a nerve by mentioning that you and others do benefit from campaign spending and other political advertising revenue sources. Just to be clear, I don’t have a problem with that.
I do have an issue with the story when it makes the comment that Ms. Green’s campaign spending “…makes it the most expensive election campaign in the history of the City on a campaign platform that promised fiscal responsibility.” It seems to be making a point about excessive spending while the site benefits from such spending. That is the only point we were trying to make. And that might be annoying to some.
meisner: “As for Pat Bell ask him if he gets special treatment, and further ask anyone if Ben Meisner can be bought.”
Who is saying that anyone is getting special treatment because of the money they spend on this site or others? And nobody to my knowledge is alleging that you can ‘be bought’. That’s where you lost me.
typical non union backing bastards, Jordy Hoover, i mean really, guess she must drink there. SOME friends dont have very big pockets
pgiscrazy writes, “The amount of contributions that any candidate receives is directly proportionate to the electorates desire for change”
I think that is a ludicrous statement. A few corporations that are buying politicians with large contributions does not represent the ‘electorate’ but rather just the special interest choice of a few large donors.
In the States they have the spoiler Newt who’s whole campaign is funded by one casino owner in Vegas.. the guy bought a sock puppet for $5 million to try and upset the puritan (Romney) chance at getting the nomination. Romney however has Wall Street in his pocket and yet a guy named Rick comes along and beats him on a regular basis with a tenth of the spending.
Big money from corporations does not represent the electorate… just rather those that benefit from influencing the electorate.
Why is the information not on the city website yet? Or is it? I cannot find it…..
I would like to know where the “other $40,000 plus” came from for her campaign donations.
http://princegeorge.ca/cityhall/elections/Pages/Default.aspx
proof of the old adage of pipers and tunes
Johnnybelt, I certainly agree that your previous posts seem to suggest that you are accusing Opinion 250 of taking money for advertising in exchange for special treatment. Not only did you state you agreed with pgiscrazy’s post suggesting Bell pays for advertising in exchange for special treatment, you also posted:
“So what? And I agree with the post above, I don’t see much compaining from the media (i.e. radio, tv, newpapers, internet, etc.) when cashing political advertising cheques.”
News sites are businesses that need to generate revenue through advertising. Period. It is this revenue that keeps sites like 250 up and running so we can post our own uncensored opnions and viewpoints. Ben is one of the most principled and fair minded journalists I have met who is not afraid to call out the truth when needed and still ensure that his facts are solid.
Not sure you could say the same….
I’m not sure if there’s a communication issue, but if people are inferring things and making assumptions from the points I was making above, I don’t know what to do about that…
If my posts ‘seem to suggest’ (as Qandee-Q) things that aren’t being said, I did my best to clarify above. The rest is up to you.
And to follow up on a point made by Mr. Meisner earlier, yes, I do check this site quite often along with several other local and national news sites. I am flattered that he noticed.
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