Mayor Robert Smith has raised almost $20,000 in his bid for a third term, and at least one of his contributors has direct connections with city government.
Smith’s paperwork, which he filed with the city registrar’s office by Tuesday’s 5 p.m. deadline for party primary candidates, shows $19,550 in itemized contributions, $10,000 of which he contributed to his own campaign.
Among his contributions was $1,000 from Jabari Edwards, owner of the J5-Broaddus firm the city has hired to manage all of its construction projects.
Edwards, a former Columbus Light and Water board member, also co-managed Smith’s mayoral campaign in 2013. Less than a week after Smith’s second term began, Edwards’ firm was hired as city project manager.
A second listed contributor, giving $500, is the Rev. Michael Tate. A man by the same name chairs the city council-appointed CLW board. However, Tate listed no address or other identifying information on his contribution sheet, other than “pastor,” and The Dispatch could not confirm by press time if the contribution came from the CLW board member.
Smith’s other receipts, which list itemized contributions of more than $200, show a $1,500 contribution from the Rev. Steven L. James, pastor of United Christian Baptist Church; $1,500 from Glenn Machine Works; and $1,000 from Ryan Johnson and Ecco Ride.
He also received $500 from Mitchell Automotive in West Point and $500 from Carl Hogan Automotive in Columbus.
Remaining individual contributions include $500 each from Denise Good, Andy Stewart, the Rev. Steve and Loren Jamison, the Rev. James A. Boyd and George and Shelia Cain; $300 from Stan Black; and $250 from Johnny and Fairie Johnson.
So far, Smith had spent $8,463.50 on his campaign by Tuesday’s filing deadline, according to the report. The bulk of that spending — $6,100 — has been with Signature Sound in February for signs and printing. Smith also spent total of $1,363.50 for ads in either The Dispatch or Columbus Packet and $1,000 with Urban Radio for advertising.
The mayor had $11,086.50 cash on-hand by the filing deadline, according to the finance report.
Smith was the only one of four mayoral candidates to file a campaign finance report by Tuesday’s deadline ahead of next week’s Democratic primary.
Fellow Democrats Selvain McQueen and Carl Lee failed to file with the city registrar by deadline. Independent Montrell Coburn did not have to file by Tuesday, since he is only running in the June general election.
Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.
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