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FROM BILL CHAPPLE,TREASURER, DTC Money is the milk of politics, so this column will explore, from time to time, some of the issues that a treasurer of a town political party must deal with. We can start by seeing what happens when you make a contribution to the Chaplin Democratic Town Committee. The State of Connecticut regulates how you may contribute and how this contribution is reported to the state. The intent of these laws is to prevent the corruption of the political process, so that reporting these contributions is actually the major part of a treasurer's job. The details of your contribution are entered onto a form, SEEC20, one part of which is concerned with contributions. The relevant details are: your name, physical address, amount of the contribution, date, whether or not you are a lobbyist or a relative of a lobbyist, and whether you are doing business with the state with proceeds over $5,000. If your contribution is over $100, your occupation and employer must be listed as well; the maximum an individual can contribute in a calendar year is $1000. There are severe restrictions on cash contributions; there is a $15 limit on acceptance of anonymous cash receipts to the committee and a $30 limit for individuals less than sixteen years of age. Contributions from other entities are also quite restrictive. Businesses and labor unions may only make contributions through PACs or political action committees that have been cleared by the state. On the website of the Secretary of State there is a list of current PACs contributions from them must be recorded in a separation portion of SEEC20. In addition, contributions from other town or state political committees are also recorded in this section. Five times a year, SEEC20 (if contributions are greater than $1000 for a reporting period) or a short form with no details, SEEC21, are sent to the Secretary of State and to the Town Hall. These forms are displayed on the Secretary of State's website so that anyone may examine them. The goal is to make the finances of a political committee completely open to the public. William Chapple, Treasurer, Chaplin Democratic Town Committee |
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