I. Introduction
This Audit Report summarizes the audit results of the committee, Committee for A Progressive and Affordable San Francisco Opposing Peksin for Supervisor 2015, Identification Number 1378731 (“the Committee”), from January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015. The audit was conducted to determine whether the Committee materially complied with the requirements of the Political Reform Act (“the Act”) (California Government Code section 81000, et seq.) and San Francisco’s Campaign Finance Reform Ordinance (“CFRO”) (San Francisco Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code section 1.100, et seq). The Committee was selected for random audit from the 2015 audit cycle.
II. Audit Authority
San Francisco Charter section C3.699-11 authorizes the Ethics Commission (“the Commission”) to audit campaign statements that are filed with the Commission along with other relevant documents to determine whether the committee complied with applicable requirements of State and local laws. Section 1.150(a) of CFRO requires the Commission to audit all candidates who receive public financing.
III. Audit Scope and Procedures
This audit was performed in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. The audit involved a review of the Committee’s records for the 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;
- Compliance with all provisions related to the Commission’s public financing program; and
- Any unexpended public funds that must be returned to the City up to the amount of public funds received by the candidate.
The Commission posts audit reports to its web site and, in cases of apparent violations of law, forwards them to the appropriate enforcement agency.
IV. Committee Information
The Committee initially formed in July 2015 as a general purpose committee to support or oppose candidates and ballot measures in San Francisco. In September 2015, the Committee designated itself as a committee primarily formed to oppose the election of Aaron Peskin to the District 3 Supervisorial seat in the November 3, 2015 election.
During the period covered by the audit, the Committee’s treasurer was James R. Sutton. The Committee filed a Statement of Termination on December 31, 2015, noting that its filing obligations were completed on February 1, 2016.
V. Audit Findings
For the period from January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015 the Committee received $419,399 in monetary contributions and $28,250 in non-monetary contributions. The Committee incurred $419,399 in campaign expenditures.
The Commission determined that there were no material findings with respect to the audit of the Committee. The Committee substantially complied with the disclosure and record-keeping provisions of the Act and CFRO.