The New York City Campaign Finance Board today announced a payment of public matching funds to a qualifying candidate for the 2008 Fall elections in City Council district 30 (Queens).
A total of $35,266 in public funds was distributed to one candidate, Anthony Como.
The payment is based on matchable contributions reported in campaign disclosures filed on July 15 and September 19. This is the first payment for the 2008 Fall elections.
Candidates who certify as participants in the city’s voluntary Campaign Finance Program must appear on the ballot, have an opponent on the ballot, and meet a two-part threshold before becoming eligible for public matching funds.
To become eligible for public funds, a candidate for City Council must raise $5,000 from New York City residents. Only the first $175 of a contribution counts towards the $5,000 threshold. A candidate must also collect 75 matchable contributions of $10 or more from residents within the Council district.
The Program matches contributions from New York City residents at a rate of $6-to-$1, up to $175 per contributor—for a maximum of $1,050 in public funds per contributor. The maximum amount each candidate can receive in matching funds is $88,550. For Council elections, the spending limit is $161,000.
For more information about the limits on raising and spending funds applicable to the 2008 Fall elections, please see the CFB website.
The next disclosure statement filing, covering the period from September 16 to September 29, is due Friday, October 3.