How much does a winning mayoral run cost? Morgan spent $195K - Action News
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How much does a winning mayoral run cost? Morgan spent $195K

London Mayor Josh Morgan spent just over $195,000 during his successful run for the mayor's office last fall.

Most of the money came in the form of individual donations at the $1,200 limit

Josh Morgan
Josh Morgan spent $76,497.87 in advertising during his 2022 election campaign, according to campaign finance records filed with the city. (Colin Butler/CBC)

London Mayor Josh Morgan spent $195,330on his campaign last year, with most of the money coming in the form of $1,200 individual donations from contributors that includedsome of theForest City's movers and shakers in politics and business.

Morgan's campaign financial statements were filed onFriday, the deadline for all council candidates to submit them to the city clerk's office.

Morgan's audited statement, which you can read here, lists all donors who contributed more than $100. The documents also show how the candidates spent the money.

The main categories of spending in Morgan's campaign were:

  • Advertising: $76,498.
  • Signs: $63,195.
  • Salaries, benefits honoraria for staff: $29,937.

The amount spentby Morgan's campaign fell well within the $243,898.60 spending limit for mayoral candidates. It was also about four times the amount spent by second-place finisher Khalil Ramal, who spent a little more than $48,000.

Ed Holder spent $197,641.49 in his 2018 mayoral run, in what was a much closer race against main contenders Paul Paolattoand Tanya Park. Drew Dilkens spent just over $143,000 to get re-elected to his third term as Windsor's mayor.

Individual donors are allowed to give up to $1,200 to any mayoral or council candidate.

Names of developers, politicians come up in list

Morgan's finance documents list more than 200 individual contributors.

Those who gave the maximum $1,200 contribution include Shmuel Farhi of Farhi Holdings Corp. one of London's largest property owners.

Nine members of the Soufan Family contributed $1,200 each including York Developments president Ali Soufan.

Five members of the Meddoui family, including Westdell Developments Corp. president Iyman Meddouialso each donated $1,200 to Morgan's mayoral run. Developers Richard Sifton($1,200), Alan Drewlo ($1,000) and Adam Carapella of TricarDevelopments($1,200) also made donations.

Interestingly, numerous local politicians also gave money to the Morgan campaign. Former councillers who contributed include Mariam Hamou ($1,200) and Cheryl Miller($250). Former mayor Gord Hume contributed $300. London North Centre MP Peter Fragiskatosgave $1,200 to the Morgan campaign.

Members of Morgan's campaign team also contributed, including Ryan Gauss ($1,200) and former city clerk Cathy Saunders ($1,200) and former city manager Martin Hayward ($500). Gauss was recently voted by a council committee to fill a vacant seat on the Police Services Board. Coun. Shawn Lewis gave $150 to the Morgan campaign.

Finance reports for the council candidates were also due for filing on Friday and many of the same names came up in their lists of donators.

Farhi, for example, gave to the council campaigns of Shawn Lewis and Steve Lehman.

Contributions from the Soufan family showed up in money given to the council campaigns of Lewis, Peter Cuddy, Jerry Pribil,Corrine Rahman, Steve Lehman, Elizabeth Peloza and Steve Hillier.

Here's a look at what the winning 14 council candidates spend and some notable names of those who contributed to their campaigns.

Ward 1: HadleighMcAlister

Contributions received: $3,733

Notable donors:

  • Lindsay Mathyssen (NDP MP for London-Fanshawe).$750.
  • Nadine Abi Raad(Assistant toLindsay Mathyssen, MP). $250.
  • John Mombourquette (Associate dean Fanshawe College).$250.

Ward 2: Shawn Lewis

Contributions received: $23,226

Notable donors:

  • Ali Soufan (President of York Developments) $1,200.
  • Sam Soufan$1,250.
  • Nella Soufan$1,250.
  • Voula Zervakos (Leasing director, York Developments) $1,200.
  • Allan Drewlo$1,200 (President of Drewlo Holdings). $1,200.
  • Lindsay Mathyssen (NDP MP for London-Fanshawe) $200.
  • Shmuel Farhi (President, Farhi Holdings Corp.) $1,236.15 (this is an overpayment of $36.15 above the maximum, which Lewis's statement says was refunded).

Ward 3: Peter Cuddy

Contributions received: $23,450.

Notable donors:

  • Robert Siskind(Principal, Decade Group Developments). $500.
  • Nancy Branscombe (Current member London Police Services Board, former London city councillor, candidate for Progressive Conservatives in 2014). $250.
  • Gerald Slemko (CEO Trudell Medical Ltd.) $250.
  • Adam Carapella (Vice-presidentOperations - Tricar Developments). $300.
  • Jospeh Carapella(Owner, Tricar Group). $300.
  • Denise Flack (Wife ofElginMiddlesexLondonMPP Rob Flack). $500.
  • Ali Soufan(President of York Developments) $1,200.
  • Craig Linton (President, Norquay Property Management Ltd. $250.

Ward 4: Susan Stevenson

Contributions received: $6,389.

Notable donors:

  • Paul Paolatto (Former mayoral candidate, ran provincially for PCs in London West in 2022) $150.
  • Asif Sheikh (Realtor) $1,200.
  • Adam Carapella (Vice-president operations - Tricar Developments). $500.
  • Jospeh Carapella(Owner, TricarDevelopments). $500.
  • Craig Linton (President, Norquay Property Management Ltd. $500.
  • Salim Mansur(Professor emeritus, Western University, ran federally for People's Party of Canada in London North Centre in 2019). $250.

Ward 5: Jerry Pribil

Contributions received: $15,745.

Notable donors:

  • Nancy Branscombe. $1200.
  • Paul Paoloatto(former mayoral candidate, ran provincially for PCs in London West in 2022) $150.
  • Asif Sheikh (realtor) $1,200.
  • Ryan Gauss (Campaign chair for current Mayor Josh Morgan,director of operations and personnel for London North Centre MP Peter Fragiskatos, currently appointed by council committee toLondon Police Services Board). $175.
  • Peter Sergautis(President, Extra Realty) $500.
  • Nella Soufan. $1,200.
  • Karem Soufan $1,200.
  • Craig Linton (President, Norquay Property Management Ltd. $250.

Ward 6: Sam Trosow

Contributions received: $8,410

Notable donors:

  • Nancy Branscombe.$900.
  • Terence Kernaghan (Current NDP MPP, London North Centre). $500
  • James Mastronardi(Director IT Operations & Procurement, Green Shield Canada). $1,000.

Ward 7: Corrine Rahman

Contributions received: $14,211.

Notable donors:

  • Ryan Gauss (Campaign chair for current Mayor Josh Morgan,director of operations and personnel for London North Centre MP Peter Fragiskatos, currently named as appointe to London Police Services Board). $175.
  • Peter Fragiskatos (MP London North Centre).$1,200.
  • Marcus Plowright(realtor). $250.
  • Robert Siskind(principal, Decade Group Developments). $500.
  • Adam Carapella (Vice-presidentOperations - Tricar Developments). $300.
  • Craig Linton (President, Norquay Property Management Ltd. $250.
  • Nella Soufan. $1,200.
  • Karen Soufan$1,200.
  • Hassan Soufan$1,200.

Ward 8: Steve Lehman

Contributions received: $23,400.

Notable donors:

  • Sam Soufan. $1,200.
  • Voula Zervakos (Leasing director, York Developments). $1,200.
  • Ali Soufan(President of York Developments) $1,200.
  • Ahmed Meddoui(Westdel Developments). $800.
  • Joseph Meddoui (Westdel Developments). $1,200.
  • Shmuel Farhi (Farhi Holdings Corp.) $1,200.
  • Richard Bains(LASIK MD). $1,000.
  • Steve Stapleton (Vice-president Auburn Developments Inc.) $1,000.
  • Jamie Crich(President Auburn Developments Inc.) $1,200.
  • Ryan Gauss (Campaign chair for current Mayor Josh Morgan,director of operations and personnel for London North Centre MP Peter Fragiskatos, currently voted by council committee to seat onLondon Police Services Board). $250.

Ward 9: Anna Hopkins

Contributions received: $8.573.

Notable donors:

  • Nancy Branscombe (Current member London Police Services Board, former London city councillor, former provincial candidate for Progressive Conservatives in 2014). $750.
  • Randy Collins (Owner, Hully Gully). $300.
  • Dirka Prout (Former federal NDP candidate, London North Centre, 2019). $150.
  • Sandy Levin (Former London city councillor). $150.
  • Harold Usher (Former city councillor). $200.

Ward 10: Paul Van Meerbergen

Contributions received: $22,340.

Notable contributors:

  • Adam Carapella (Vice-presidentOperations - Tricar Developments). $1,000.
  • Jospeh Carapella(Owner, Tricar Group). $1,200.
  • Richard Sifton (CEO, Sifton Properties). $425.
  • Farhad Noory,(President, Royal Premier Homes). $1,200.
  • Michael Bierbaum (Old Oak Properties). $1,200.

Ward 11: Skylar Franke

Coun. Skylar Franke said forcing developers to add vehicle chargers in new buildings can avoid costly retrofits down the road.
Ward 11 councillor Skylar Franke listens to a delegation at a London city hall meeting in February 2023. (Colin Butler/CBC News)

Contributions received: $23,812.

Notable contributors:

  • Scott Courtice (Executive director, London InterCommunity Health Centre) $500.
  • Marcus Plowright(Realtor). $500.
  • Carol Dyck (Green Party candidate, London North Centre, 2019).
  • Tom Cull (Writing professor, Western University).
  • Martin Horak (Political science professor, Western University) $300.
  • Arielle Kayabaga(Liberal MP, London West) $150.
  • Jesse Helmer (Former London city councillor) $250.
  • Ann Marie Cooper (Human resources and communications advisor, ConvertusGroup). $250.
  • Shawn Adamsson(Director of operations, CityMatch Inc). $200.
  • John Fleming (Former head of planning, City of London) $200.
  • Kate Graham (Former provincial Liberal candidate, London North Centre) $250.

Ward 12: Elizabeth Peloza

Contributions received: $18,224.

Notable contributors:

  • Lindsay Matthyssen(NDP MP for London-Fanshawe) $500
  • Ryan Gauss(Campaign chair for current Mayor Josh Morgan,director of operations and personnel for London North Centre MP Peter Fragiskatos, currently appointed to London Police Services Board). $200.
  • Terence Kernaghan (NDP MPP for London North Centre) $200.
  • Iynaan Meddouit (President, Westdell Development Corp.) $1,200.
  • Nancy Branscombe (Current member London Police Services Board, former London city councillor, former provincial candidate for Progressive Conservatives in 2014). $350.
  • Peter Fragiskatos (MP London North Centre).$250.
  • Craig Linton (President, Norquay Property Management Ltd. $250.
  • Cheryl Miller (Former London city councillor). $250.
  • Harold Usher (Former London city councillor). $300.
  • Judite Holder (Former Mayor Ed Holder's wife). $200.
  • Joseph Meddoui (Westdel Developments). $800.
  • Ali Soufan (President of York Developments) $1,200.
  • Paul Hubert (Former London city councillor) $200.

Ward 13: David Ferreira

David Ferreira
Ward 13 councillor David Ferreira listens in on a council meeting at city hall in February of 2023. (Colin Butler/CBC News)

Contributions received: $9,662.

Notable contributors:

  • Silvia Langer (Development director at Unity Project). $200.
  • Wendy Russell (Assistant professor,Centre for Global Studies, Huron University College. $300.

Ward 14: Steven Hillier

Total contributions: $6,500.

Notable contributors:

  • Voula Zervakos (leasing director, York Developments) $1,200.
  • Sam Soufan($1,200).
  • Farhad Noory,(President, Royal Premier Homes). $1,200.