The Alaska Public Offices Commission staff is recommending a $5,665 fine for a group that was raising funds to support Mayor Dave Bronson’s campaign.
A complaint was filed in September by Paula DeLaiarro that the independent expenditure group Open for Business Anchorage had not filed the proper forms during the Anchorage runoff election. DeLaiarro had served as treasurer for the campaign of Forrest Dunbar, Bronson’s opponent.
In a report released Wednesday, APOC staff found that Open for Business Anchorage failed to file six expenditure forms and calculated a maximum civil penalty of $12,200. The amount was reduced because Open For Business Anchorage was considered an inexperienced filer, and the penalty for two of the reports is more than the value of the transactions that were deemed late.
In a response to the complaint, Open for Business Anchorage treasurer Rebecca Logan wrote that the group was unaware of requirements to file 10-day reports and a 24-hour report, and that’s why the reports weren’t filed. Financial records show that the group did actually file one of the 10-day reports.
APOC commissioners will make a final decision on the violations and the total fine at their next meeting on Jan. 26.
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Wesley Early covers Anchorage life and city politics for Alaska Public Media. Reach him at wearly@alaskapublic.org and follow him on X at @wesley_early. Read more about Wesley here.
