The New York City Campaign Finance Board today announced the second payment of public matching funds to qualifying candidates for the June 3 special election in City Council district 30 (Queens). For a complete list, see below.
A total of $35,912 in public funds was distributed to two candidates. Today’s payment brings the overall total amount of public funds disbursed for the 2008A special election to $169,455.
The payments are based in part on matchable contributions disclosed in the campaign disclosures filed on May 23.
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 first raise $5,000 from New York City residents. For special elections, only the first $87 of a contribution counts towards the $5,000 threshold. Second, a candidate must collect 75 matchable contributions of $10 or more from residents within the Council district.
For special elections, the Program matches contributions from New York City residents at a rate of $6-to-$1, up to $87 per contributor—for a maximum of $522 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 the June 3 special election, one candidate on the ballot declined to join the Campaign Finance Program. That candidate has raised funds in excess fifty percent of the spending limit, enabling participating candidates to receive bonus public matching funds. Under this “Tier 1” bonus situation, a candidate can receive a maximum of $625 in public matching funds per $87 contributed or approximately $7.18-to-$1. The maximum public funds payment is increased to $107,333. The spending limit is increased to $241,500.
For more information about the limits on raising and spending funds applicable to the June 3 special election, please see the CFB website.
| Candidate | Office Sought | Payment Total |
| Como, Anthony | City Council #30 | $25,634 |
| Ognibene, Thomas V | City Council #30 | $10,278 |