Smoke-free Cape reports $10,680 in donations

The citizens group working to get a city smoking ban passed in Cape Girardeau has collected $10,680 in contributions, all but $340 of which came from the American Cancer Society as an in-kind contribution.

With a little over a month until the April 5 election, those who oppose the ban have yet to organize a campaign committee and only have until March 6 to do so.

Citizens for a Smoke-Free Cape filed its quarterly committee disclosure report Thursday, as required by the Missouri Ethics Commission 40 days before the election. The American Cancer Society donated $10,340 of that amount as an in-kind donation, and neither the society nor Smoke-Free Cape will disclose what the donation is paying for.

The expenditures of $100 or less show that the group has only spent $13.10 for refreshments and transaction fees and didn't include in-kind donations. The society's initial $10,000 in-kind donation was filed separately Jan. 28, complying with the state's requirement to report any single contribution greater than $5,000 within 48 hours.

Monetary contributions totaled $315 from 11 individuals -- many of them people working to get the ballot issue passed, which would ban smoking in all public workplaces, including restaurants, bars, private clubs and casinos. No single monetary contribution was greater than $50.

Stand Up Cape, What's Next?, the group that wants the issue defeated, has not formed a campaign committee, according to the Cape Girardeau County clerk's office and the Missouri Ethics Commission's website. The group, largely made up of restaurant and bar owners, would not legally have to file if, as a group, it doesn't spend $1,000 or accept any one single contribution greater than $325. Contributions could not total $1,000 either or the group would be legally required to register with the state as a campaign committee. The deadline for forming an official committee is March 6, which is 30 days before the election.

Doc Cain, a member of the opposition group and owner of Port Cape Girardeau, did not return phone calls Friday or Saturday seeking comment.

smoyers@semissourian.com

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