The political action committee representing some Anchorage home builders is in hot water with the state's campaign watchdogs for missing campaign disclosure deadlines in the city's mayoral election.
On Oct. 8, the Anchorage Home Builders Association Build-PAC filed three separate reports showing fundraising and donations of $2,000 in the spring Anchorage mayor's race. The reports were originally due in March, April and July, according to violation notices sent to the group by the Alaska Public Offices Commission on Oct. 9.
Two of the reports had late penalties of $500 a day; the third had a penalty of $50 a day. The seven-day report for the regular April election, due March 31, was 191 days late, for a maximum penalty of $91,500, according to APOC's letter.
While the violations add up to a maximum penalty of nearly $181,000, late filers normally pay a fraction of the fine. APOC Director Paul Dauphinais said the agency has rules allowing the penalties to be reduced.
The home builders PAC donated $1,000 to candidate Dan Coffey in the April election, the reports show. Another $1,000 went to now-Mayor Ethan Berkowitz in the May runoff.
"While we have consistently filed our required year-end reporting, we were unaware of the other filing deadlines," Nikki Giordano, executive officer of the Anchorage Home Builders Association, wrote in an emailed statement. "Since being notified of the violations we have since filed all of the necessary reports and we are in the process of working with APOC to get this issue resolved."
Giordano added: "Both donations were a matter of public record from the candidates' donation reporting."
The Build-PAC's report shows about $2,705 in total income for the election cycle.
State records show this would be the first civil penalty for the PAC, which registered for elections in 2012, 2013 and 2015.