BC Liberals in the riding of Coquitlam-Burke Mountain raised a mountain of money last year.
But the riding also spent a chunk of change to hold its fundraisers, dinners and receptions, according to 2012 financial papers released last week by Elections BC.
The documents filed by the governing party under Premier Christy Clark show it collected more than $4 million last year from 97 fundraisers.
Among the riding associations listed with fundraising events are five for Coquitlam-Burke Mountain, which is currently held by BC Liberal MLA Douglas Horne.
The papers reveal his riding association hosted:
a dinner on Jan. 19, 2012, that grossed $36,837 and netted $8,334;
a fundraiser on May 2, 2012, that grossed $11,800 and netted $9,113;
a fundraiser on Nov. 1, 2012, that grossed $25,700 and netted $3,696;
a reception on Sept. 6, 2012, that grossed $6,825 and netted $5,850;
and a fundraiser on Sept. 21, 2012, that grossed $19,000 and netted $17,502.
That means the association brought in more than $100,000 last year in the party's name but netted less than half - $44,495 - of what it raised.
The BC Liberal Party was also lavish with its spending in last year's byelection in Port Moody-Coquitlam, held to replace Iain Black.
According to the BC Elections documents, the party paid $93,000 to back Dennis Marsden's campaign against Joe Trasolini (Marsden took 30% of the vote for the Liberals while Trasolini won for the NDP with 54% and the BC Conservatives garnered 15%).
The fiscal reports, which were released two weeks before the writ is to drop for the May 14 provincial election, also disclose the assets and liabilities for the NDP and BC Conservative constituency associations in the Tri-Cities as of Dec. 31, 2012.
For the NDP in Coquitlam-Burke Mountain - where Chris Wilson is the candidate - the riding association has more $5,000 in assets and no liabilities, and it received $3,560 in party transfers last year.
In Coquitlam-Maillardville - where Coquitlam Coun. Selina Robinson is the candidate - the association has $37,355 in the bank and no liabilities; and received $18,846 in party transfers in 2012.
In Port Coquitlam - where MLA Mike Farnworth is the candidate - the association lists $28,974 in assets and $13,134 in liabilities, most of which is for a loan from Farnworth and Douglas Vurzinger, its financial agent. Last year, it received $18,148 in party transfers.
And in Port Moody-Coquitlam - where MLA Joe Trasolini is running for reelection - the association has $17,000 in assets and a $4,736 loan from former candidate Shannon Watkins. It received more than $48,000 in transfers last year from the party and the Trasolini campaign.
As well, the BC Conservative Party's Port Coquitlam riding association, which has yet to name a candidate for the May 14 election, listed $65 in assets.
