The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
The Honorable Steven C. Hilbig - Page 2
individual's personal service is not required to be reported if the individual receives no compensation for the service. Id. 254.033. The campaign treasurer's service was not a reportable contribution for 1992 because the treasurer did not and could not, based on the agreement to pay "if and when sufficient funds are left" in the campaign account, receive any compensation. Even though the campaign treasurer's service may have been a contribution, it was not reportable and thus, there was no violation of the Election Code. An expenditure is defined as "a payment of money or any other thing of value and includes an agreement made or other obligation incurred, whether legally enforceable or not, to make a payment." Id. 251.001(6). You relate that the candidate/officeholder reported payments to his campaign treasurer for "contract services owed for 92 campaign" as expenditures on campaign finance reports filed in 1993, 1994, and 1995. For reporting purposes, a political expenditure is not considered to have been made until the amount is readily determinable by the person making the expenditure. Id. 254.035(a). In this particular situation, the candidate/officeholder made payments to his campaign treasurer and reported the payments as expenditures when he was able to readily determine the amount of the expenditures. SUMMARY A political contribution consisting of an individual's personal service is not required to be reported if the individual receives no compensation for the service. Regardless of whether the service provided by the campaign treasurer was a contribution or not, it was not a reportable contribution. For purposes of reporting, a political expenditure is not considered to have been made until the amount is readily determinable by the person making the expenditure. Based on the facts presented, the candidate/officeholder did not