Citizens For Centralia Schools: Alleged Violation of RCW 42.17A.235 for failure to report a $100 donation for a campaign bond committee. (DEC 17)

Case

#28814

Respondent

Trent Friberg

Complainant

Neal Kirby

Description

A complaint was filed on December 12, 2017 against the Citizens for Centralia Schools (Committee), a ballot measure committee registered with the PDC to support a February 14, 2017 special bond election, alleging that Committee may have violated RCW 42.17A.235 and .240 by failing to timely and accurately file Monetary Contributions reports (C-3 reports), and Summary Full Campaign Contribution and Expenditure reports (C-4 reports) disclosing contribution and expenditure activities.

Based on staffs review and the facts that the Committee: (1) completed a Statement of Understanding (SOU) and paid a $150 civil penalty for failing to timely file the 21-Day and 7-Day Pre-Special Election C-4 reports; (2) was a small, all-volunteer committee, with Officers that had limited or no public disclosure knowledge under the Full Reporting Option; (3) had less than $10,300 in total expenditures made; and (4) has no prior PDC violations; that in this instance, the failure to timely file C-3 and C-4 reports as a local school bond committee does not warrant further investigation.

PDC staff has reminded the Citizens for Centralia Schools and its Officers concerning the importance of timely filing C-3 and C-4 reports disclosing contribution and expenditure activities in the future as required by PDC laws, rules and reporting requirements for a school bond or levy committee. Based on this information, the PDC has dismissed the complaint in accordance with RCW 42.17A.755(1).

Disposition

Resolved through Statement of Understanding

Date Opened

January 02, 2018

Areas of Law

RCW 42.17A.235

Documents

Penalties

Total penalties: $150

Balance Due: $0

Citizens for Centralia Schools

Penalty

$150 (Statement of Understanding Issued)

Payments

$150 on 06/14/2019 (Paid by Check)