Self-funding was the name of the campaign financing game for most of the candidates in the recent municipal election in Langley City.
Of the six councillors elected, all but one paid for all or most of their campaigns. Amounts spent ranged from $5,733.92 by Rudy Storteboom to $1,000 for longtime councillor Gayle Martin. Storteboom was the only one of the five to take outside donations — he paid for all but $900 of his campaign.
Dave Hall spent $5,010.89, Jack Arnold spent $2,909.03 and newcomer Val van den Broek spent $3,994.24.
The exception was newly-elected Councillor Paul Albrecht. He had the most expensive campaign, at a cost of $10,383.41. Albrecht, longtime president of local 403 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents Township workers, had his campaign bills paid almost totally by various unions. CUPE local 403 put in $1,000, with other CUPE locals adding $1,750 and CUPE BC putting in $7,000. Fraser Valley Labour Council contributed $370 and local 2000 of the United Steelworkers put in $200.
Of those who were not elected, Nathan Pachal spent $7,875.30, with $6,314.80 from individuals, $605.25 from anonymous donors and $955 in corporate donations. Eric Woodward donated $500 and Brad Richert donated $480 to his campaign, and KDMK Transport donated $605.25.
Sharon Newbery raised $5,892.28 with more than $4,000 coming from two fundraiser events. She spent $6,261.61.
In the race for mayor, winner Ted Schaffer raised $30,175.32, with $24,175.32 from various businesses and corporations. He received $5,000 each from Acura of Langley, Highland Village Shopping Centre and Peter Redekop. CKF contributed $1,500 and Audi of Langley $2,000. Kebet Holdings and Kery Ventures, both controlled by J.K. Bogusz and Ryan Beedie, each contributed $1,000.
Wesgroup Holdings gave $2,000 to his campaign, and Marcon, Revo Holdings and Martini Construction each gave $1,000. Cascades Casino and Convention Centre gave an in-kind donation of $3,175 for an election night reception.
Schaffer had a positive balance of $722.30 in his campaign account, which was turned over to the City in January.
His opponents for mayor, Randy Caine and Ray Lewis, paid for their own campaigns, costing $4,870 and $3,435 respectively.
Details about all campaign contributions and spending can be found on the Elections BC website, at http://contributions.electionsbc.gov.bc.ca/pcs