The Missouri Ethics Commission placed a $2,000 fine on Phil Amato for donor reporting violations related to his campaign for a Jefferson County Council seat last year.
Amato, who was elected a Arnold’s Ward 3 Councilman in April, will only have to pay $200 of the fine if no further ethics violations occur within two years and the money is paid by Sept. 26, stated a document posted on the Missouri Ethics Commission website.
“The responsibility for the violations is all on me. It was my campaign,” Amato said in a phone interview.
Amato said he should have read the reporting requirements more closely.
The commission stated that campaign finance violations occurred at a fundraising event for Amato on Oct. 12, 2010.
Twelve donors each gave more than $100, for a combined $3,650, toward the campaign at the event.
All donor contributions were written on separate forms when people responded to event invitations, Amato said.
The campaign filed a report on Oct. 25, 2010, eight days prior to the Nov. 2 county election, stating the event raised more than $6,900 from 200 donors, the document stated.
The report “failed” to identify donors who gave more than $100 at the event, the document said.
“Only contributors of more than one hundred dollars shall be reported by name and address,” a commission special investigator said in the document.
The campaign also broke ethics rules when it received a $400 cash donation from Marion Becker, the campaign’s deputy treasurer, the document said.
Amato filed an amended donor list on January 30 after the commission received a complaint on Dec. 20, 2010.
Amato agreed to pay the $200 fine.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch website first broke this story Monday.
The population has only grown by 843 people from 2000 to 2010, I'd hardly consider that an explosion. Repairs on both the sewers and streets have been neglected for a period of years because monies were spent on things past Mayors and councils considered more important, like golf courses, recreation centers & free trash service. Just as needed sewer rate increases (repair funds) were shoved by the wayside because it wasn't politically expedient to raise the rates. In other words they would rather watch the sewer system disintegrate instead of raising rates so they could insure their re-election. Had rates been raised a little each year over the period of years, we would have had enough to cover the costs they knew were coming & it wouldn't have been such a big surprise to the people. If we don't take care of the infrastructure now, it will only cost more later. The sewer project is not budgeted in the foreseeable future, but as a city, we can invest close to a million in an Illinois landfill..
I have mastered the rudimentary task of cut and paste, if you are trying eliminate my posts, or any posts that find fault with Mr. Amato, you will have to go to many websites and email in boxes. Due to your actions, I will be personally sending this message to hundreds of Arnold citizens. You have a great day!