When it comes to raising money, the BC Liberals in the Tri-CIties know how to bring in the bucks and spend them.
According to financial reports made public this week by Elections BC, the local BC Liberals collected more than $92,000 in 2014 for their ridings.
In Coquitlam-Burke Mountain, for which Doug Horne is the MLA, the association raised $21,625 last year at two functions: a Feb. 28, 2014, event at the Westwood Plateau Golf and Country Club grossed $39,405 but cost $18,321 to put on; and a June 18 burger-and-beer night grossed $1,040 but cost $498.
In the Port Moody-Coquitlam riding held by MLA Linda Reimer, the riding group also hosted two fundraisers last year that brought in nearly $40,000: an April 4 function at the Vancouver Golf Club grossed $28,180 but cost $10,050; and a June 3 fundraiser at a private home grossed $24,700 with a price tag of $3,332 to host.
Meanwhile, a joint fundraiser put on by all four Tri-City BC Liberal ridings on Oct. 3, 2014 at the Vancouver Golf Club grossed $42,370 but cost $11,309, resulting in a net income of $31,060.
Because of the centralized way the BC Liberal Party discloses its finances on an annual basis, the balance sheet of each riding association is not made available.
By contrast, the BC NDP provides a more detailed look at how its constituency associations are run.
In Coquitlam-Burke Mountain, the NDP riding association reported about $5,200 in its kitty last year and held no fundraisers or received no contributions.
The NDP constituency association in Port Moody-Coquitlam had about $11,400 in assets and received a $1,666 transfer last year from Joe Trasolini's campaign (Reimer defeated Trasolini in the 2013 general election).
"Some constituencies were left with deficits after the election. Fortunately, for Port Moody-Coquitlam, Mr. Trasolini's campaign had a small surplus," treasurer Raman Braich told The Tri-City News.
And in NDP MLA Mike Farnworth's Port Coquitlam riding, his constituency association recorded about $23,000 in assets and transferred $11,472 to the BC NDP as part of a 50/50 cost-sharing agreement with the central party.
As well, in NDP MLA Selina Robinson's territory of Coquitlam-Maillardville, the constituency association showed about $15,000 in assets, raised $580 from a May pub night and transferred $14,000 to the BC NDP.
The constituency and riding association, and political party, reports for 2014 can be viewed at www.elections.bc.ca.
@jwarrenTC
