Finance Disclosure Law Has Political Candidates Seeing Blue

Eddie Clark, Roy Shelling and Turner Saulsberry; all candidates for Monroe City Council last week. All missed deadlines for filing public disclosure. All received visits from State Police. That is because a year old state law requires candidates for public office to submit personal financial disclosure forms. Before Saturdays election they had not. The new law says candidates must file disclosures within 10 days of filing for candidacy. Eddie Clark says hes working on it. He is in a run-off for the council seat. "I have 14 days to complete my personal disclosures and that of my spouse,” said Clark. “Its just a matter of getting the forms turned-in in a timely manner." Because the law is so new, he believes it caught many off guard. According to the new state law, any public official from mayor, representative or councilman must submit a list of their revenue. If not, they will receive a very stiff fine. It could cost at least a hundred dollars for each day these forms are not filed. The law is not just for political candidates, but for people that sit on the boards of non-profits. District attorney Jerry Jones says he files disclosures for his job and commissions he serves on. "But I dont mind doing it at all. I dont mind opening up my finances to the public and let them see what my sources of income are," explained Jones. Candidate Clark says he agrees and understands the importance of the law. "It is all about allowing your constituents to have full confidence that you are dealing with matters in a fair and equitable manner and you dont mind being transparent about it."