More on Election Contributions

We like the Pelican Press' editorial comment concerning the Plaza Verde group's multiple contributions to Richard Martin's campaign - namely that he should recuse himself from any decision involving this developer.

In our own research of the campaign contributions (reports from the City Clerks Office), we find that Martin and Ken Shelin both receive received $2500 from principals with the Plaza Verde group. We would suggest that whomever gets elected, recuse themselves from a decision involving Plaza Verde. Lou Ann Palmer received no contributions from this group.

We also note that Martin received $4000 from the developer and apparent principals in the proposed Sylvan Drive multi-family townhouse and Palmetto Lane sub-division projects. We would also suggest a recusal by Martin if this developer appears before the commission for projects now in process. This investor group did not contribute to any other candidate.

Further, we note that the Yacht Center investors contributed $2100 to Martin, $1000 to Palmer and $500 to Shelin, and that the Isaac group (downtown property owners and developers) gave a combined $1000 to each of the 3 candidates.

Although developers/investors have every right to contribute up to $500 to any campaign, we question not the legality, but the propriety, of multiple contributions from principals interested in the same project, in several cases coming from other states and often received on the same date,. In the case of the Plaza Verde project, for instance, wives and other family members, contributed to these multiple gifts.

We note that two years ago Mary Anne Servian and Carolyn Mason returned contributions to a developer with a project coming before the City Commission. Carolyn Mason’s accompanying letter said that it was her policy not to accept contributions from developers with projects that were before, or going to come before, the City Commission.

We applaud that philosophy. It is time for all candidates to either refuse multiple contributions from developers with pending city projects or pledge to recuse themselves in cases where they wish to accept these contributions.