Who’s got the biggest political war chest for local elections? Nobody else comes close to incumbent Fayette County Commissioner Eric Maxwell, who lists more than $72,000 in contributions and nearly $42,000 in expenditures to keep his Post 5 slot on the board.
Maxwell loaned himself $20,000, the latest state-mandated campaign finance disclosure report shows.
In second place is incumbent and fellow Fayette County Commissioner Jack Smith, with nearly $25,000 listed for campaign contributions on the latest state-required disclosure forms. Smith loaned himself more than $11,000 of that amount, the report shows.
So far, Smith reports spending a little over $8,000 of that amount on his campaign.
Maxwell’s challenger for the Republican nomination, Allen McCarty, reports raising about a tenth of Maxwell’s total.
Smith’s challenger, former Peachtree City Mayor Steve Brown, reports raising about one-fifth of Smith’s total.
By far the smallest totals listed in the reports were from Charlie Cave, who is challenging incumbent Bob Todd for the Post 4 slot on the Fayette County Board of Education.
Cave reports receiving $375 in contributions and spending $150 as of June 30, the latest reporting deadline.
Included below are the June 30 reporting period figures for the campaign contribution disclosure report information submitted to the Fayette County Elections Division.
Local candidates include Post 4 Commission incumbent Jack Smith, challenger and former Peachtree City Mayor Steve Brown, Post 5 Commission incumbent Eric Maxwell and challenger Allen McCarty and, from the Post 4 Fayette County Board of Education race, incumbent Dr. Bob Todd and challenger Charlie Cave.
In his campaign disclosure report, District 5 incumbent Commissioner Eric Maxwell showed $72,925 in contributions to date and $45,893.44 in expenditures. Of those contributions, a total of nearly $63,000 was carried over from previous reporting periods while $41,844.10 in expenditures was carried over.
Maxwell in the report also listed a $20,000 loan to himself from December 2009, a total of $1,775 in contributions of less than $101 and $8,250 in contributions of more than $101.
The larger contributions included $2,300 from Jay and Glenda Maxwell, $500 from Hollis and Joyce Harris, $500 from Doug Warner, $500 from Larry Dell, $725 from Larry Walker $1,000 from Mike Hofrichter and $500 in-kind from Costas Soulakos.
And in cash amounts ranging from $125-400, Maxwell received contributions from Huie Bray, Mark Gray, Loyd Black, Dot and Wallace Kite, Fayetteville Mayor Ken Steele and his wife Debbie, Thomas Chandler, Tom and Kathy Szekalski, Drs. Matthew and Traci Autera and Peachtree City dentist Dr. Gordon Fleming.
Maxwell listed a total of $4,049.84 in expenses for the current period. Those included payments for advertising, printing and a consultant.
Post 5 Commission challenger Allen McCarty reported a total of $6,500 in contributions and $5,057.78 in expenditures.
McCarty’s contribution list showed $2,000 from Harold Bost, $2,000 from Evelyn Bost, $1,000 from Betty J. Lee, $1,000 from himself, $250 from Robert J. Ross and $250 from former Commissioner Greg Dunn.
McCarty listed expenses of more than $5,000 for various signs, supplies, stamps and postage, magnetic sign covers and the qualifying fee.
Smith in his report listed a total of $24,866.76 in contributions to date. Of that amount, more than $11,000 came in the form of a loan to himself and $3,800 came from 50 separate contributions totaling less than $101. Smith also carried over $1,437.01 from a previous reporting period.
Smith received a total of $8,625 in cash contributions. Of that amount, the largest contribution came from William Douglas Walker at $1,000 and one from Judith Bearden at $1,000. Smith also received contributions of $500 from Loyd Hall Black, Jr., Hollis Harris, R. Scott Bradshaw, Douglas Warner and Wilbur Lenox. (Lenox’s address is listed as the same address as former Peachtree City Mayor Bob Lenox.)
And in amounts ranging from $110-400, Smith received contributions from Fayetteville Councilman Larry Dell, Dr. F.A. Sams, Jr., Dr. Traci Autera, Charles and Betti Philips, Dr. Matthew J. Autera, Anthony P. Szekalski, Mark Gray, RM Boyd & Associates, Aberdeen Dental, Fayetteville Councilman Al Hovey-King, former Peachtree City Mayor Harold Logdson, Tax Commissioner George Wingo, former Peachtree City Mayor Fredrick Brown, Jr., Huie L. Bray, Commissioner Herb Frady, David Conley, R. Scott Bradshaw, Richard T. Holloway, James L. Ramsey, Al and Patricia Curtis, Marie Sams, Thomas Chandler and D. Gary Stout.
To date, Smith listed $8,203.85 in campaign expenditures for printing, advertising, telemarketing, food and the qualifying fee.
Post 4 challenger Steve Brown in his June 30 filing listed $5,382.66 in contributions and $5,149.28 in expenses.
Among his contributions, Brown listed a $779.60 loan to himself, $203 in contributions of less than $101 and $6,237.50 in additional contributions. Those included $2,000 from former Commissioner Harold Bost, $2,000 from Evelyn Bost, $1,445 in-kind from Robert Ross, $250 in cash from Robert Ross, $392.50 in-kind from Zel Brooks and $150 from Thomas Townsend.
Brown listed expenditures for signs, cards, sign magnets, the qualifying fee and a voter list.
And for the Post 4 seat with the Fayette County Board of Education, challenger Charlie Cave listed $375 in contributions for the June 30 reporting period and $150 in expenditures.
All the expenditures were in the form of contributions of less than $101. Expenditures were for advertising.
Post 4 Board of Education incumbent Dr. Bob Todd showed $3,550 in contributions and $705.65 in expenses for the period.
Contributions included $550 in amounts less than $101, while $2,000 came from Harold Bost and $1,000 was from himself. Expenditures went for flyers and cards.
The next required campaign contribution disclosure report is due Sept. 30.
