
SHARON
Mayoral hopefuls submit reports
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Ryan's has more details, fewer mistakes
By Tom Fontaine and Kristen Garrett
Herald Staff Writers
Sharon mayoral candidates Lou Rotunno and David O. Ryan have submitted their latest rounds of campaign finance reports for Tuesday's election.
Including all donations and money carried over from the spring filing, Ryan had a total of $9,745 and Rotunno, $6,435, according to the most recent campaign finance reports.
The reports, filed last week at the Mercer County Courthouse, detail how much money the candidates raised between June 5 and Oct. 22.
The report also indicates from where the money came and describes how it was spent. Sort of.
Rotunno has not received a campaign contribution of more than $50 from a donor other than himself, according to the report.
Rotunno's report indicates he has collected more than $3,400 from individual donors. None of those contributions are itemized in his five-page report.
Contributions of $50 or less do not have to be itemized, according to state campaign law.
Therefore, no names of people who donated to Rotunno's campaign are included in his campaign report.
"I haven't had the heavy hitters like people think," Rotunno said of the contributions. "We (the campaign) didn't have anybody give major money."
Rotunno, a Democrat running on the Republican ticket, has raised $6,435 for his campaign, according to the report. Almost half of that money -- $3,000 -- came out of his own pocket, the report says. The rest came from the other donors.
Rotunno said he is financing most of his campaign through his home equity loan and plans to pay it back after the election by selling some stocks.
Ryan collected $4,720 in contributions under $50 that aren't required to be itemized. He also collected $2,700 in contributions from individuals and groups.
Many donors gave between $100 and $200. National Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in Beaver, Pa., and Linda Howard of Sharon each contributed $250. David and Sylvia Webber of Sharon gave Ryan $400. Karen W. Hale of Sharon contributed $500, and the Western Pennsylvania Regional District Carpenters, Pittsburgh, gave $750.
The campaign report does not indicate how some of Rotunno's expenditures were used.
Rotunno gave $270 to the "Sharon Touchdown Club and others." The money went to 338 Case Ave. -- Rotunno's address.
Rotunno said the Touchdown Club was supposed to sponsor fireworks for the Sharon High home football games. He said the fireworks never happened because of construction at the school but the group had to pay out some money to the fireworks company anyway.
Rotunno also spent more than $500 on groceries Aug. 27 at Shop N'Save in Hermitage and $46 on produce Oct. 22 at Giglio Produce in Sharon, according to the report.
Both purchases were for the "Rigatoni Rally" Oct. 21, Rotunno said.
Rotunno also spent campaign money on newspaper and radio advertising and on signs at DeSantis Sign in Erie.
Ryan's expenditures included newspaper advertising, signs, buttons and emery boards, tickets to various fund-raisers and paper supplies.
Rotunno's report contained a few inaccuracies such as mathematical errors and the filing date was listed from June 15 through Oct. 26.
Rotunno said he just including everything up to the filing deadline. "I figured I was giving them more information then they wanted," he said.
Ryan's report was much more detailed as far as how the money was spent.
You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Kristen Garrett at kgarrett@sharon-herald.com or Tom Fontaine at tfontaine@sharon-herald.com
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