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Overspending costs one Barrie candidate the opportunity to run again

Doug Jure exceeded spending limit in Ward 7 by-election, so he is disqualified from running in 2018
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Doug Jure (r), went over the by-election spending limit in his bid for the Ward 7 seat in January. Robin MacLennan/BarrieToday.com

Spending $7.93 more than he was allowed in the Ward 7 by-election will cost one candidate the opportunity to run in the 2018 municipal election

Doug Jure exceeded the $12,764.75 spending limit, a limit determined by the number of eligible voters.

Jure spent a total of $13,862.68 on the campaign that netted the former Barrie Police Services Board chairperson 108 votes. His spending translates into a $128.36 cost per vote.

The rules, however, exclude some items: expenses such as accounting and audit fees, bank fees and fundraisers’ costs. Even without those, Jure still exceeded the limit as he spent $12,772.68 on items subject to it.

 “Every cent makes a difference,” said City of Barrie clerk Dawn McAlpine.

Jure spent $9,482.68 of his own money plus $1,000 from his spouse.

His five individual donors gave $2,350; one was former Georgian College president Brian Tamblyn, who narrowly lost the federal race in Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte to Conservative Alex Nuttall. Tamblyn gave Jure $100.

He also accepted a total of $750 in corporate donations.

His largest expense was brochures, which cost $6,296.68, followed by advertising, at $3,914.02.

Jure, who ran unsuccessfully for the Ward 10 seat in 2014 before taking another shot at council, isn’t the only one who will see the doors to municipal politics close.

McAlpine added the Municipal Elections Act also restricts those who failed to file financial statements by April 1 at 2 p.m. from running in another byelection or during the next municipal election in October 2018.

Five candidates failed to do so: Elena Arruda, Jane Dewar, Bonnie-Lyn Gow, Mike Montague and Craig Ripley.

McAlpine said the Municipal Elections Act allows a candidate to apply for an extension before the deadline passes.

Of those who filed, there were two who spent nothing, other than the $100 nomination filing fee: Chris McElroy and Darren Roskam.

Winner Andrew Prince, who received 362 votes, spent $9,692.77, which breaks down to a per-vote cost of $26.78.

Prince’s sole individual donor was Doug Ford, who gave him $500.

His corporate donations however, totaled $4,200. There were three numbered companies, two planning firms, All Professional Trades from Richmond Hill and Park Place.

Here’s what they spent:

  • Elena Arruda: no information
  • Jane Dewar: no information
  • Ram Faerber: $816.42
  • Bonnie-Lyn Gow: no information
  • Gary Harvey: $5,423.87
  • Jim Hosick: $9,688.60
  • Doug Jure: $13,862.68
  • Chris McElroy: nil
  • Mike Montague: no information
  • Andrew Prince: $9,692.77
  • Craig Ripley: no information
  • Darren Roskam: nil
  • Randy Starr: $8,305.08

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Laurie Watt

About the Author: Laurie Watt

A journalist with 35 years experience in newspapers, Laurie is also an active volunteer in Barrie.
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