Today was the deadline for all local candidates to file their quarterly campaign financial reports. Most have already been posted on the Internet. Maybe they did the easy ones first because mine's pretty short and it's online since early today. Anyone interested can check out the individual reports at the Supervisor of Elections' website: clayelections.com.

Those of you who scan my personal first quarter campaign report and are familiar with a new state law that took effect Jan. 1 will notice a problem. I have listed the only two people who made contributions between the first day of January and the last of March. Both handed me hundred dollar bills, one in February and one in March. It wasn't until I attempted to file my report in April that I was reminded that the new limit is now just $50 for cash donations. Oh, crap.

I'm pretty much a stickler about candidates and elected officials actually following things like rules and laws, so I wanted to fix my mistake the right way. Here's what I've done, as recommended by the Supervisor of Elections' Candidate Specialist, Scott Miller, and varified as the proper procedure by the state's Chief of the Bureau of Elections Records.

1. I have listed the two improper contributions on my first quarter report.

2. I have withdrawn from my campaign account and, as of April 9, returned in cash both contributions in full.

3. I will list those returned contributions on my second quarter campaign financial report.

4. I have written the Supervisor of Elections a letter explaining my error and outlining the steps taken to correct it, and submitted it to be filed along with my official first quarter report.

The mistake I made still shows on my first quarter report, but not the actual remedy. It won't show up until the official reports for another three months. I figured I'd go ahead and explain it to anyone who reads my report and maybe wondered why I'm the only candidate allowed to take cash contributions in excess of $50. (I'm guessing that I'm the only one who forgot, because I haven't read everyone else's reports and some haven't been posted yet.)

Here's a little irony. In addition to my own, I had only one contribution listed on my previous quarterly report covering the last three months of '07. That donation was also a one hundred dollar bill from a friend. The exact donation was perfectly legal then, but a violation of campaign law now.

Anyway, most of the campaign reports are out, and the rest should hit the 'Net soon. Enjoy the reading.

Michael S. Mann

michaelsmann@comcast.net [1]