Dave Wagner arrived on the campaign trail this year with more than $20,000 in contributions carried over from his 2004 bid for the Independence Township supervisor’s office. He collected another $4,580 this year.
Treasurer candidate Cheryl Karrick reported an ending balance of minus $7,255 on her campaign finance paperwork (the Oakland County Clerk’s office was quick to reply: this is not acceptable. Amend promptly).
In Springfield Township, supervisor candidate Danny O’Neill spent $3,233 on signs, nail files, T-shirts and other printing at Impressive Type, a company owned by clerk candidate Marc Cooper. O’Neill, along with several members of his family, also poured more than $1,500 in cash donations into Cooper’s campaign; Cooper put more than half his campaign contributions back into his own company for printing.
And that’s just the beginning of the information now available on Oakland County’s website. Who gave money to whom, and how much? What was it spent on? Which candidates were hit with fines and fees for missing filing deadlines?
Campaign finance reports filed with the Oakland County Elections Division can be viewed and printed online’for local, school and county candidates as well as political action and ballot question committees.
‘Our new site brings transparency to the process and has increased compliance with campaign finance laws,? said Oakland County Clerk Ruth Johnson. ‘The transparency also promotes accountability, and lets voters know who donated money and how much they donated. Sunshine is antiseptic.?
Michigan law requires all candidates and committees to disclose detailed financial records of cash contributions, as well as in-kind donations’a gift of goods or services rather than cash.
Candidates are also required to disclose expenditures made by their committees.?
Previously, Johnson said, anyone who wanted to see a candidate’s campaign finance report had to sort through a pile of original documents at the county clerk’s office in Pontiac and fork over a quarter per page for copies.
The information is now readily available, and free, to anyone with Internet access.
In addition to candidate filings, correspondence from the county clerk’s office is also posted with each candidate’s information. When mistakes are made or fees charged, that information is also available.
Honest mistakes are common, said Johnson, noting her office frequently notifies candidates about missing information.
‘Under state law, if someone is given over a hundred dollars, you not only are required to have their name, address and phone number but you’re also required to list the employer,? she said.
‘That’s probably the most common error we see.?
Honest mathematical errors also surface from time to time, she noted.
‘We go through and verify all the math,? she said. ‘When we find any mistakes or omissions, our office sends a statement and the candidate must make the appropriate changes.?
Less-than-honest mistakes surface once in a while, too, she said.
For example, candidates are required to sign an affidavit of identity stating all fines and fees are current.
‘We have found in several cases people sign that affidavit, and they’re not current,? Johnson said.
At the township level, candidates can accept donations up to $500 from an individual.
The candidate, however, can loan or give his or her committee a contribution of any amount.
Leftover money, said Springfield Township Clerk Nancy Strole, can be spent in a number of ways.
‘There’s a lot of flexibility as to what one can do with it,? she said. ‘Or it can just be carried over and used for subsequent campaigning.?
To view campaign finance reports for any candidate or committee in Oakland County, navigate to the clerk’s page from the county’s website at www.oakgov.com.
Links to state-level candidate information can also be found on the county site.

INDEPENDENCE TOWNSHIP
Supervisor candidates
Committee to Elect Dave Wagner Township Supervisor
Contributions $4,580
In-kind contributions $0
Expenditures $7,950.71
His own money (loan, owed by committee to Dave Wagner) $600
Ending balance of last report: $20,271.11
Ending balance this report $16,304.04
Contributions from other local candidates:
Citizens for Joe Lawrence $75
Committee to Elect Sandy Dubre $75
Danny O’Neill $75
Tim Birtsas $150

Daniel Travis for Township Supervisor
Contributions $1,650
In-kind $500
Expenditures $1,026.43
Ending balance $623.57
His own money (loan, owed by committee to Dan Travis) $270
Donations from other candidates (committees): Dan Travis Leadership Committee $500 unspecified in-kind contribution of printing, publishing, postage

Clerk candidates
Friends of Shelagh VanderVeen
Contributions $4,375
In-kind contributions $500
In-kind expenditures $400
Expenditures $2,639.33
Ending balance of last report: $386.06
Ending balance this report $2,121.73
Contributions from candidates (committees):
The Committee to Elect Dan Kelly $200
Dan Travis Leadership Committee $500 in-kind contribution printing, mailing, ad

Citizens for Joseph Lawrence
Contributions $1,877.18
In-kind $0
Expenditures $1,692.05
Ending balance $185.13
Contributions from candidates:
His own money: $1627.18

Treasurer candidates
Curt Carson for the Community
Contributions $8,200
In-kind $0
Expenditures $7,745.97
Ending balance $454.03
His own money (loan, owed by committee to Curt Carson) $8,000

Friends of Cheryl Karrick
Contributions $1,700
In-kind $0
Expenditures $8,955.59
Ending balance $-7,255.59
Her own money (loan, owed by the committee to Cheryl Karrick) $4,750
Donations from other candidates:
Mike and Eileen Kowall $100

Jeff McGee for Treasurer
Cash contributions $1,350
In-kind contributions $500
Expenditures $737.40
Ending balance $612.60
His own money: (loan, owed by the committee to Jeff McGee) $1,000
Contributions from other local candidates (committees):
Dan Travis Leadership Committee $500 unspecified in-kind contribution of goods or services

Committee to elect Sandy Dubre
***Waiver

Dan Travis Leadership Committee
Neil Wallace, treasurer
Contributions $3,000
In-kind $0
Expenditures $3,000
Ending balance $0
Contributions from candidates:
Dan Kelly $25
David and Shelagh VanderVeen $50

***If the committee does not expect to receive or expend in excess of $1,000 and checks the appropriate box the filing requirement of pre, post and annual campaign statements is waived. The reporting waiver is automatically lost if the committee exceeds the $1,000 threshold.

SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP
Supervisor candidates
Committee to Elect Mike Trout
Cash contributions $9,270
In-kind contributions $1,857.73
Expenditures $7,313.72
Ending balance $1,956.28
Donations from other local candidates:
Pete and Laura Moreau $50
Donna Clancy $50
His own money (loan, owed by committee to Mike Trout) $1,142.20

Friends of Danny O’Neill
Cash contributions $9,595
In-kind contributions $1,124.32
Expenditures $6,853.11
Ending balance $2,741.89
Donations from other local candidates:
Mark Lyon $50

Committee to Elect William Leddy
Cash contributions $686.20
In-kind contributions $0
Expenditures $686.20
Ending balance $0
His own money: $686.20

Clerk candidates
Committee to Elect Laura Moreau for Clerk
Cash contributions $2,020.02
In-kind contributions $2,092.61
Expenditures $1,804.84
Ending balance $215.18
Donations from other candidates:
Mike and Nancy Trout $50

Friends of Tim Birtsas
Cash contributions $4,804.25
In-kind contributions $0
Expenditures $4,079.25
Ending balance $725
His own money $4,079.25 (loan, owed by committee to Tim Birtsas)
Donations from other candidates:
Charles and Dana Fortinberry $200

Committee to Elect Donna Clancy
Cash contributions $1,320
In-kind contributions $6,484.95
Expenditures $5,984.95
Ending balance $4,664.95

Committee to Elect Marc Cooper
Cash contributions $2,300
In-kind contributions $300
Expenditures $2,227.15
Ending balance $72.85
Donations from other candidates:
Danny O’Neill $500
Friends of Danny O’Neill $100
Mark Lyon $50

Citizens to Elect Kathy Paul
***waiver

Treasurer candidates
Committee to Elect Jamie Dubre
***waiver
Committee to Elect Renee Ann Oszust for Treasurer
***waiver

***If the committee does not expect to receive or expend in excess of $1,000 and checks the appropriate box the filing requirement of pre, post and annual campaign statements is waived. The reporting waiver is automatically lost if the committee exceeds the $1,000 threshold.