Halifax mayor discusses campaign funds raised

Halifax Mayor Peter Kelly raised more than $80,000 for the fall election in which he's not running, according to documents filed at city hall.

Most of the money Kelly raised was at dinners, where tickets were sold at a $100 a plate.

Donors included businesses, councillors and other individuals, who together helped Kelly raise $82,475.25.

The fundraising began soon after Kelly was re-elected as mayor in the 2008 campaign.

He decided to make his campaign finances public — even though he was under no legal requirement — because he says he wants to help clear the air about what was happening to the money now that he is no longer running.

"This certainly indicates where the funds were allocated and what happened to the remainder of the funds, that went to the Parker Street Food and Furniture Bank," Kelly told CBC News.

Among the biggest expenses to close out his campaign, more than $26,000 on marketing, that Kelly says included numerous polls.

More than $33,000 that Kelly says helped cover the costs the dinners and other fundraising events.

Other bills include more than $4,300 for Kelly's website.

His election fund account is now closed.

All of the money went to cover outstanding campaign bills, except for $1,900 that went to the food bank, Kelly says.

The documents on file at city hall do not include receipts.

Even though people gave the money with the expectation he was re-offering as mayor, Kelly says no one has asked for their money back.

"We did what we said we were going to do which is to campaign. We did campaign up until we said we're not campaigning anymore," Kelly said.

Over the years, Kelly became one of the most successful political fundraisers.

Now that's he's leaving, he says there should be a legislated cap on fundraising, of $100,000 for mayoralty candidates, and no more than $25,000 for would-be councillors.

That would prevent elections from becoming simply races among the elite, he says.