Election 2012: A Look at Canton Township Candidates' Campaign Finance Reports

One likely cannot drive through Canton without passing at least one political yard sign for the 2012 election cycle.

But who is paying for this, and just how much are these candidates spending to get word out about their campaigns?

Under Michigan campaign finance law that information is public record and must be filed with the Wayne County clerk's office.

A candidate's committee to elect must file annual campaign statements as well as pre- and post-election campaign statements for elections where the candidate's name appears on the ballot, including the Aug. 7 primary.

The deadline for filing pre-primary statements was July 27. 

Under state election law, a candidate committee "that does not expect to receive or spend more than $1,000 for any election" can receive a reporting waiver, exempting the committee from reporting.

Unopposed incumbent Canton Township Supervisor Phil LaJoy reported the largest contributions, totaling $19,577.35, while unopposed incumbent clerk Terry Bennett's fundraising and spending did not reach $1,000, giving the candidate a pass on reporting.

Totals may include loans made to one's campaign by the candidate.

The following information is based on reports filed with the county clerk.

Phil LaJoy (incumbent)

• Total contributions: $19,577.35
• Spent: $2,345.23
• Remaining: $17,232.12
• Donors of $250 or more (in total contributions to date): Gabriele Paciocco, executive from Plymouth ($375); Gildo Ruicci, executive of Gil-Mar Manufacturing Co. in Canton ($325); Douglas Holland, owner of Westland Car Care Towing in Westland ($375); Jill Engel, executive director of Partnership for the Arts & Humanities in Canton ($325); Paul Wyzgoski, attorney at Dickinson Wright in Troy ($375); Abe Munfakh, Chairman and CEO of Munfakh & Associates in Plymouth ($375); Robert Rahaim, owner of Premier Center of Canton LLC in Canton ($375); Kevin Rose, attorney at Rose & Abramson in Westland ($325); Bryan Amann, self-employed attorney in Canton ($400); Charles Barbieri, attorney at Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith in Lansing ($275); Ian Schonsheck, real estate for Willow Creek Shopping Center in Wixom ($275); Edward Zelmanski, attorney at Alexander, Zelmanksi, danner & Fiorrito in Plymouth ($275); Michael Maloney, business owner at Casual Refinishing in Redford ($275); Timothy Wilhelm, attorney at Johnson, Rosati in Farmington Hills ($275); Anthony Rugiero, owner of Antonio's Cucina Italiana in Dearborn Heights ($500); Ilefat Hamzavi, physician at Hamzavi Dematology in Canton ($375); Kevin Bennett, attorney at Hemming, Polaczyk, Cronin, Smith Witthof, et al in Plymouth ($375); Timothy Cronin, attorney at Hemming, Polaczyk, Cronin, Smith Witthof, et al in Plymouth/Plymouth Township attorney ($375); Ronald Witthoff, attorney at Hemming, Polaczyk, Cronin, Smith Witthof, et al in Plymouth ($375); Paul Glantz, owner of Emagine ($400).

Terry Bennett (incumbent)

• Total contributions: N/A
• Spent: N/A
• Remaining: N/A
• Donors of $250 or more: N/A

Candidates will contributions and expenditures less than $1,000 can grant a reporting waiver.

Melissa McLaughlin (incumbent)

• Total contributions: $5,171.72 (no new funds in pre-primary cycle)
• Spent: $183.57
• Remaining: $4,988.15
• Donors of $250 or more: N/A

Pat Williams (incumbent)

• Total contributions: $17,945
• Spent: $10,451
• Remaining: $7,832.75
• Donors of $250 or more (listed in total donations through election cycle): Robert Dinicola, RM International Sales in Canton ($300); Suzanne Ada Williams, retired ($1,000); Lynn Blakey, RN-Clinical Manager, Henry Ford Home Health Care in Detroit ($250); Roger Nash, accountant, NSF Corp in Ann Arbor ($400); Audrey Pask, executive producer of Avalon Films in Royal Oak ($300); Donald Turner, owner of Long Walk Partners in Canton ($500); Dr. Syed Taj, physician in Dearborn and 11th Congressional District candidate from Canton ($250).

John Anthony (incumbent)

• Total contributions: $10,750
• Spent: $7,588.10
• Remaining: $3,161.90
• Donors of $250 or more (in total contributions): Sofia Taj, homemaker from Canton ($250); Ned Timmons from LLS Consulting Inc. in Commerce Township, MI ($300).

Gregory Demoupoulos (incumbent)

• Total contributions: $14,280
• Spent: $9,546.30
• Remaining: $4,933.70
• Donors of $250 or more (in total contributions): Chris Karapatsikas, real estate agent in Canton ($300); Jerome Ruggirello, attorney in Novi ($250); Russ Hammond, self-employed in Canton ($250); George Demopoulos of West Bloomfield, retired ($500); George Fekaris, attorney in Northville ($500); Amritpal Hayer, retired from Belleville ($500); Jamie Kaczanowski, secretary from Canton ($300); Elaine Pappas, homemaker in Flint ($500); Sophia Quinn, health insurance worker from Portage, MI ($250); Ntina Vergos, retired from Flint ($500).

Joseph Carafelli

• Total contributions: $4,477.02
• Spent: $2,965.74
• Remaining: $0 reported by candidate.
• Donors of $250 or more: N/A

Thomas Yack

• Total contributions: $8,824.31
• Spent: $3,546.57
• Remaining: $4,506.43
• Donors of $250 or more (in total contributions): Anthony Rugiero, president of Antonio's Cucina Italiana ($500); Paola M. Luptak, self-employed from Farmington Hills ($274.78); Gabriele Paciocco, executive at the Paciocco Companies in Plymouth ($250); Anthony Marocco, self-employed in Westland ($250); Ronald Witthoff, attorney at Hemming, Polaczyk, Cronin, Smith Witthof, et al in Plymouth ($250); Tim Cronin, attorney at Hemming, Polaczyk, Cronin, Smith Witthof, et al in Plymouth ($250); Kevin Bennett, attorney at Hemming, Polaczyk, Cronin, Smith Witthof, et al in Plymouth ($250); Stanley Frankel, owner of Frankel and Associates in Troy ($1,000); Genesio Masciulli, self-employed in Plymouth ($250); Gary Grewal, self-employed in West Bloomfield ($1,000); Gary Sakwa, partner at Grand Sakwa Properties in Farmington Hills ($500); Paul Robertson, retired from Birmingham ($500).

Deborah Whyman

• Total contributions: $822.80
• Spent: $822.80
• Remaining: $0
• Donors of $250 or more: N/A

Steven Sneideman

• Total contributions: N/A
• Spent: N/A
• Remaining: N/A
• Donors of $250 or more: N/A

Candidates will contributions and expenditures less than $1,000 can grant a reporting waiver.

This is the second part of our series of campaign finance reporting. On Wednesday, we ' fundraising and spending.

Note: Individual donations exceeding $250 for candidates Pat Williams and John Anthony were incorrectly stated in an earlier version of this story because of an apparent technical error in the automated Wayne County campaign finance form used by the candidates, which incorrectly doubled the amount donated by an individual person. The figures have been updated as of 2:15 p.m.