Ocean City mayoral candidates Jay Gillian and Ed Price.
Ocean City mayoral candidate Ed Price on Thursday accused incumbent Mayor Jay Gillian of accepting a campaign contribution in excess of the legal limit.
Gillian reported a donation of $10,000 from his father, former Mayor Roy Gillian, on a mandatory 11-day pre-election report that was released earlier on Thursday (May 8).
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"This amount clearly listed on the report exceeds the legal limit for an individual, which is $2,600 per election," Price said in a written statement. "This amount could have been refunded within 48 hours of its receipt, however it was not refunded. It was received by the campaign on April 22, 2014."
Price said he has filed complaint with the state Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC).
ELEC officials cannot confirm or deny any existing investigation.
ELEC's Compliance Manual for Candidates (
see full text of it) says a candidate or a family member living in the same household can make unlimited contributions to a campaign (Page 18, Section D). But other individuals are limited to contributions of $2,600 per election (Chart on Page 27). Gillian's 11-day report lists his father's address as Pompano Beach, Fla., though he also owns property in Ocean City.
"I inadvertently reported a $10,000 loan from my father as a contribution to my campaign." Gillian said on Thursday. "When this was brought to my attention, I immediately contacted the N.J. Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) to determine what needed to be done to correct this. I was instructed to file an amended report and I immediately did so. I have said from the beginning of my campaign that I did not intend to accept contributions and that remains the case."
The ELEC Compliance Manual reads as follows (Page 22, Section Q): "A loan received by a candidate or committee is a contribution, until repaid, and must be reported as a contribution from the person or entity making the loan and as an outstanding obligation. A loan is reported as a contribution at the time it is received and must be reported as an outstanding obligation for as long as it remains unpaid. Since a loan is a contribution, it is subject to contribution limits."
Gillian said he has since written a check to his father to repay the loan.
"I messed up," Gillian said. "But it was just my 84-year-old father wanting to help out."
"I said when I became mayor that when I make a mistake I'll tell the residents of Ocean City," Gillian said in a written statement released later Thursday. "In trying to respect my father's wish to help I unfortunately made a mistake. I have now corrected the matter."
"There is no excuse for this action," Price said in his statement. "Every candidate is given detailed handbooks and information regarding the law on campaign contributions and finances. I regret having to bring this information forward at this time. Unfortunately the state will not comment or take action on any issue like this until after an election. This violation goes directly to the issue of 'fairness' in Ocean City. Ed Price's platform of FACTS stands for Fairness, Accountability, Communication, Transparency and Sensibility. I hope the accountability part is adhered to by the Gillian campaign. I believe it is important for the voters of Ocean City to know the ends their current mayor will go to in order to be re-elected."
Gillian has raised $35,000 in the campaign — the $10,000 from his father and a $25,000 contribution from himself.
Price has collected a total of $15,345, $8,072 of it in monetary contributions of $300 or less, the threshold for reporting the names of donors.
Read more on campaign finances in the municipal election:
