Memorial donation draws complaint
Memorial Health System's $4,000 donation to a group promoting El Paso County's 1 percent sales tax increase on the Nov. 4 ballot has prompted a complaint to the Secretary of State's Office.
State Rep. Douglas Bruce filed the complaint Wednesday, alleging the contribution violated the Fair Campaign Practices Act, which bars public agencies from giving to candidates and from contributing public money to ballot issue campaigns.
Colorado Springs Mayor Lionel Rivera on Tuesday called the donation "a dumb idea" by Dick Eitel, former CEO of the city-owned hospital, and said Memorial's board wasn't told of the gift.
"I think the campaign should give it back," he said. "I have no idea whether it was legal, but it was something that shouldn't have happened. Another bad move."
The donation was made in December, according to a campaign finance report filed by Citizens for Effective Government.
Memorial spokeswoman Cari Davis said in an e-mail the donation was given to support research to "identify community needs/priorities," which occurred months before a ballot issue emerged this summer.
That doesn't matter, said Luis Toro, attorney for Ethics Watch, a nonprofit watchdog agency.
"By definition, issue committees exist to promote or work against ballot initiatives," he said. "When you give money to an issue committee, you do it knowing it will be spent in support of or opposing a ballot issue."
Mike Kazmierski, a Citizens for Effective Government member, said if the donation is deemed illegal, it will be refunded.
The group promoting El Paso County's sales tax increase also must pay $500 for filing its campaign finance report 10 days late. Clarissa Arellano, registered agent for the issue committee, said the late filing was her "careless mistake."
The El Paso County Clerk and Recorder's Office imposed the sanction.
The committee received $59,168 in contributions and spent $58,572 during the reporting period from Dec. 1, 2007, to Oct. 14.
The biggest donors: Colorado Springs Economic Development Corp., $14,000; Colorado Association of Realtors Issues Mobilization Committee, $10,000, Colorado Springs Housing and Building Association, Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce, and High Valley Land Co., $5,000 each.
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