CORRECTION: Due to a reporting error" Tuesday's pg. 3 article ""Election spending uneven"" incorrectly identified the second-highest spender in November's Chapel Hill Town Council race. Council member Bill Strom spent $6"497.38. The Daily Tar Heel apologizes for the error.
Depending on the seat the cost of a place on the Chapel Hill Town Council varies.
The final year-end financial reports filed by candidates show a wide spread in the amount of money spent by each including more than $20000 by Matt Czajkowski a challenger who grabbed the last seat by a mere 60 votes.
Mayor Pro Tem Jim Ward who garnered more votes than anyone else has not yet filed a report. Ward who ran for his third term" pledged early in the campaign to spend little and run on his record.
""What he was able to do was extraordinary"" council member Mark Kleinschmidt said. He spent virtually no money and went to voters as an individual and went to forums.""
The remaining five candidates spent sums that ranged from challenger Will Raymond's $2"062.49 to $5566.45 from incumbent Cam Hill who lost to Czajkowski.
The candidates reported spending money for signs mailings and other campaign-related expenses.
Several reported spending for election night festivities. Czajkowski spent almost $6000 for a party at La Residence" while council incumbents chipped in to celebrate at Crook's Corner. Challenger Penny Rich spent just more than $100 at The Franklin Hotel.
The N.C. General Assembly authorized the town to implement a pilot public financing program for the 2009 election.
""This is the beginning of creating ... trust in the system"" said Kleinschmidt, who has been involved in developing the public financing program.
He said the candidates' spending last year was fairly typical.
One of the candidates did spend significantly more than any of the others"" Kleinschmidt added. We have to decide whether or not it is going to cost that much to run for public office.""
Raymond said that Czajkowski's $20""688.42 sum ""seems like a lot"" but added that he faced four well-organized and established incumbents.
""I guess he felt like he needed to get his name out there"" he said. Obviously it must have worked.""
Rich said that the amount was ""outrageous"" but that she didn't think it was the only reason Czajkowski was elected.
""You shouldn't have to spend that kind of money to win a race in a small town"" she said.
In recent years record spending was seen in the 2001 mayoral race between Kevin Foy and Lee Pavao, who spent an average of $25,459.
Chase Foster, a coordinator for N.C. Voters for Clean Elections, said public financing would encourage grassroots campaigning and level the playing field for candidates without the means to finance their own campaigns. Czajkowski loaned himself $17,750 for the campaign.
There's less of a burden to keep on fundraising"" Foster said.
Czajkowski said previously that he ran only because he was personally able to finance the campaign.
I would never have (run) if I wasn't able and prepared to finance the whole campaign myself.""
If the council approves the public financing program" candidates still could opt out from receiving public funds and raise money privately.
Assistant City Editor Elisabeth Arriero contributed reporting.
Contact the City Editorat citydesk@unc.edu.
