City and County of San Francisco
Ethics Commission

English

San Francisco      
Ethics Commission                   
30 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 3900
San Francisco CA  94102
Phone 581-2300 Fax 581-2317

SAN FRANCISCO ETHICS COMMISSION AUDIT REPORT:

BARRY HERMANSON FOR SUPERVISOR

I.           Introduction

This Audit Report contains information pertaining to the audit of the committee, Barry Hermanson for Supervisor, Identification Number 1246026 (“the Committee”), for the period from January 1, 2002 through January 31, 2003.  The audit was conducted to determine whether the Committee materially complied with the requirements and prohibitions imposed by the Political Reform Act (“the Act”) (California Government Code Section 81000, et seq.) and San Francisco’s Campaign Finance Reform Ordinance (“CFRO”) and Electronic Filing Ordinance (S.F. Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code Sections 1.100, et seq., and 1.300, et seq.).

For the period covered by the audit, the Committee received total contributions of $22,031, and $29,691 in public funds.  It incurred expenditures of $51,384.  The law provides that any candidate who receives public financing must return unexpended campaign funds to the Election Campaign Fund up to the amount of public funds received by the candidate.  The auditor determined that the Committee must return $37.92 of unexpended funds to the Election Campaign Fund.[1]   There were no material findings with respect to this audit.

II.         Committee Information

The Committee was formed in June 2002 to support the election of Barry Hermanson for Member, Board of Supervisors, District 4, in the November 5, 2002 election.  The Committee filed a Statement of Organization with the Ethics Commission on July 26, 2003 indicating that it had qualified as a committee on July 17, 2003.  Rita A. Goldberger served as the Committee’s treasurer.  As stated above, the Committee received public financing for Barry Hermanson’s 2002 supervisorial campaign.  The Committee has not terminated as of the date of this report.

III.       Audit Authority

San Francisco Charter Section C3.699-11 authorizes the Ethics Commission to audit campaign statements that are filed with the Commission.  San Francisco Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code Section 1.150(a) requires that the Commission audit all candidates who receive public financing.  Audits of publicly financed candidates include a review of campaign statements and other relevant documents to determine whether the candidate complied with applicable requirements and prohibitions imposed by State and local law.

IV.        Audit Scope and Procedures

This audit was performed in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards.  The audit involved a thorough review of the Committee’s records for the time period covered by the audit.  This review was conducted to determine:

• Compliance with all disclosure requirements pertaining to contributions, expenditures, accrued expenditures, and loans, including itemization when required;
• Compliance with applicable filing deadlines;
• Compliance with restrictions on contributions, loans and expenditures;
• Accuracy of total reported receipts, disbursements and cash balances as compared to bank records;
• Compliance with all record-keeping requirements; and
• Compliance with all provisions related to the Commission’s public financing program.

VII.      Conclusion

Through the examination of the Committee’s records and campaign disclosure statements, the Auditor verified that the Committee accurately and timely disclosed contributions received and expenditures made and that the Committee maintained the necessary documentation regarding contributions and expenditures.   As a result, the Auditor determined that there were no material findings.  The Committee substantially complied with the disclosure and record-keeping provisions of the Act and the CFRO.

Audit reports are posted to the Commission’s web site and are forwarded to the Members of the Ethics Commission and, in cases of a violation of law, to the appropriate enforcement agency.

Date:  August 12, 2003

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