The cost of running for New Westminster school board soared to new levels in the 2011 municipal election - for a few candidates.
First-time candidate Jonina Campbell topped the polls in the 2011 school board elections - and she also outspent all trustee candidates.
Campbell spent $15,727 on her election campaign. In addition to $3,984 of her own money, she received 16 donations of $100 or more and 65 donations of $99.99 or less from individuals.
Not far behind in spending was David Phelan, whose $13,041 in expenses was a dramatic jump from the $826 he spent in his first campaign in 2008. He wasn't endorsed by labour in the 2008 election.
Campbell and Phelan were among four school board candidates who were endorsed by the New Westminster and District Labour Council. Campbell received $4,555 and Phelan received $4,580 in contributions from assorted unions.
The other two labour-endorsed candidates were the other top spenders in the 2011 school board race.
Longtime trustee James Janzen spent $11,458 on his campaign, after receiving contributions of $13,094. Having contributed $6,000 of his own funds to the election effort, he was reimbursed the balance of $1,635.
Aside from his own contribution, unions and the labour council contributed more than $6,000 to Janzen's campaign, with the largest donation - $3,400 - coming from CUPE B.C.
In the 2008 civic election, Janzen was the top spender of all school board candidates - at $6,331.
Janzen hopes the increased cost of campaigning isn't something that will be repeated in future elections. He admits he was "running scared" from the previous election, when he was only elected by about 35 votes.
"The last election sent me a message," he said. "I barely got on. Voice ran a big campaign. I was planning my strategy around what happened in 2008."
Michael Ewen, the longest serving trustee in New Westminster, spent $11,036 on his 2011 campaign. He received $700 in donations from individuals, contributed $5,382 of his own funds and received $4,081 from unions.
In 2008, Ewen spent a total of $5,629 on his reelection campaign.
The bulk of candidates' expenses were for advertising, including newspaper ads, signs and pamphlets. Postage, office supplies, fundraisers, campaign-related transportation, and Election Day food and beverage costs were also among the expenses claimed by candidates.
Several candidates' expenses included compensation paid to persons for helping with their campaign work, including: Phelan - $1,795; Ewen - $1,694; Janzen -$1,601; Campbell - $1,487; and Cook - $320.
Like 2008, the majority of candidates vying for seats on school board in the 2011 election spent between $1,000 and $4,000.
Here's what other school board candidates spent on their campaigns: Glen Richmond - $3,713; Brenda McEachern Keen - $3,365; Jim Goring -$3,008; MaryAnn Mortensen - $2,770; Casey Cook - $2,704; Lisa Graham - $1,986; James Bell - $922; and James Pepa - $904
Of the candidates, Bell, Cook Goring, Graham, Pepa and Richmond funded the entire cost of their election campaign with no outside donations.
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