The Edmond Sun

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November 5, 2008

Groups in Safety Center debate may not have to file financial disclosures

James Coburn

EDMOND — A committee formed to rally support to defeat the Public Safety Center proposition on Tuesday’s ballot may be required to file a financial disclosure document.

The Committee to Stop Higher Property Taxes led by former Mayor Randel Shadid collected more than $14,000 in contributions, which was spent on advertising and signs, Shadid said on Wednesday.

Marilyn Hughes, executive director of the state Ethics Commission, said The Committee to Stop Higher Property Taxes may be required to file a financial disclosure document with the municipal clerk. This law is stated under the Political Subdivision Ethics Act, she said.

“It require committees which have collected contributions or made expenditures exceeding $500 to register within 10 days of exceeding the limit, and then afterwards to file reports if this includes committees formed to support or oppose a municipal ballot measure.”

She said the Ethics Commission is prohibited from receiving a complaint based on reports not filed. Complaints have to be made to the District Attorney, Hughes said.

Shadid said he does not plan to file a report. His lawyers advised him that he doesn’t have to file a financial disclosure statement, he said.

“We’re a loosely tied band of dissidents trying to exercise our First Amendment rights,” Shadid said. “Unless somebody can show me the statute to file reports, I don’t plan on doing it.”

A total of $5,995 in contributions was filed by Keep Edmond Safe to promote the Public Safety Center. Keep Edmond Safe was formed to convince voters to approve the Public Safety Center proposition, Mayor Dan O’Neil said.

A C-1 report was not filed by Keep Edmond Safe until Friday. Committees accepting more than $500 must file a financial disclosure statement 10 to 14 days before the election, according to ethics laws.

Each of the City Council members contributed to the campaign. Charles Lamb contributed $500, O’Neil said. Wayne Page contributed $100, according to the financial disclosure statement; David Miller gave $50 and Elizabeth Waner, $200. O’Neil said he contributed $450 to Keep Edmond Safe with an initial $250 deposit.

The Fraternal Order of Police was the largest contributor with a $3,000 donation, according to the report.

The Edmond Sun was listed by O’Neil on the Keep Edmond Safe donor list. However, Sun Publisher Steve Patterson said The Sun did not contribute money to Keep Edmond Safe nor any funds to the opposition.

O’Neil said $250 was spent by Keep Edmond Safe for an advertisement in The Edmond Sun that was later added to the report.

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