Proposition 4 Campaign Reports Finances

Late report lists $2,685 raised in last three months but fails to provide details about campaign expenses

Corrected Thursday, October 11, 2012 1:34pm

Austin Community for Change (AC4C) submitted its latest campaign finance report after the 5pm deadline to reach the City Clerk’s office yesterday.

A copy obtained this morning indicates the political action committee (PAC) favoring the 8-2-1 plan for electing council members collected $2,685 in the past three months. Combined with the previous reported total of $1,907 brings the AC4C PAC’s total fundraising to $4,592.

The amount of campaign contributions netted by the Proposition 4 supporters is swamped by the competing Proposition 3 plan for geographic representation. Austinites for Geographic Representation (AGR) has raised nearly $90,000.

As reported yesterday, AGR raised $40,662 in the latest reporting period and nearly $70,000 to date. AGR also reported receiving an additional pledge of $20,000. That will bring the PAC’s total fundraising to almost $90,000, with nearly four weeks remaining before election day.

The latest AC4C report lists 11 contributions, the largest being $1,000 from the Capital Area Asian American Democrats.

Amy Wong Mok, founder and CEO of the Asian American Cultural Center, and president of the Asian American Community Center, contributed $500. Mok ran for City Council Place 4 in 1999, drawing 8.57 percent of the vote and placing a distant third in a nine-person race.

Smaller donors

Four donors gave the AC4C PAC $250 each, including:

David Butts, a longtime political consultant in Austin who served on the council-appointed 2012 Charter Revision Committee.

James Nortey, an attorney associate at Andrews Kurth LLP who practices in the Public Law Section.

Paul Kim, president of ATX Environmental Solutions LLC , ~~owner of Intuitive Element Inc., an Internet company, (corrected Thursday, October 11, 2012 1:34pm).~~

Kim is also president of the Korean American Association of Greater Austin, an organization that raised $91,472 in contributions and grants in 2011, according to the Form 990 filed with the IRS May 14, 2012.

Channy Soeur, CEO of CAS Consulting and Services Inc., a company with offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. Soeur’s daughter, Michelle Soeur, is the constituent liaison staff member for Mayor Lee Leffingwell.

Report lacks detailed expenses

AC4C failed to include in the report Schedule F, which provides details about $594 in political expenditures the PAC made during the reporting period.

Contacted by The Austin Bulldog, campaign treasurer Richard Jung, an attorney with Jung Ko PLLC, said the omission was a mistake and he would file a correction affidavit tomorrow.

The entire expenditure, Jung said, was for web services provided by XL Web Services Inc.

The full-page ad that appeared on page 19 of The Austin Chronicle on October 5 was ordered and paid for after the September 27 closing date for this reporting period, Jung said.

One more pre-election reporting cycle

The final PAC reports before the November 6 election are due October 29, eight days out, and no further reporting will be required until January 15. So it will be more than two months after the election before a full accounting of campaign expenditures will be made public.

To see the complete AC4C report, click here.

To see the AC4C amendment that on October 11 added Schedule F to detail expenditures, click here.

This report was made possible by contributions to The Austin Bulldog, which operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to provide investigative reporting in the public interest. You can help to sustain The Austin Bulldog’s coverage by making a tax-deductible contribution.

Related Bulldog coverage: This is The Austin Bulldog’s 32nd article covering issues and activities pertaining to proposed changes to the Austin City Charter.

Proposition 3 Campaign Reports Finances: 10-1 campaign proponents raised more than $40,000, Proposition 4’s 8-2-1 advocates’ report not submitted, October 9, 2012

Proposition 3 Rally Draws 150-200 People: Crowd hears fiery speeches by proponents of the 10-1 systemfor electing council members, October 8, 2012

Attorney Bickerstaff Addresses Critics’ Concerns: His September 24 article drew numerous comments about the Proposition 3 Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, October 5, 2012

Feisty Debate Over Electing Council Members: One panelist argues for no change to the at-large system of City Council elections, October 4, 2012

Proposition 3 and 4 Proponents Rev Their Campaigns: Raising money, organizing troops, and pushing plans for geographic representation on Austin City Council, September 28, 2012

Redistricting Need Not Be a Quintessentially Political Process: Independent redistricting commissions for U.S. states and cities, September 24, 2012

Barrientos Lampoons Prop 4 With a Fable: Other proponents of alternative plans for geographic representation push their points, September 14, 2012

Proposition 3 Advocates Falsely Accuse RECA: Group alleges ‘rumor’ of $100,000 pledge by Real Estate Council to defeat Proposition 3, but RECA says not so, September 12, 2012

No-Change Option Surfaces in Ballot Debate: Former Council Member Bob Binder opposes both options on the ballot for geographic representation, September 11, 2012

The Election Wars Have Begun: Interest in how council members elected running high, as face-off debates abound, September 9, 2012

Your Guide to Proposed City Charter Amendments: What’s on the ballot, what it will cost taxpayers, and details provided in the ordinances for each proposition, August 30, 2012

Loud Rally Follows Final Council Vote for 8-2-1: AGR’s Cries Foul Over Work Session Vote for Hybrid; Mayor Leffingwell Said Votes Driven by Ballot Deadline, August 7, 2012