The Florida Elections Commission has fined City Commissioner Steve Van Gorden $3,000 for campaign law violations in his 2008 municipal race.
The commission found that Van Gorden accepted 10 campaign contributions totaling $4,550 for his re-election race before he appointed a campaign treasurer.
The two-time commissioner told the elections staff that he didn't realize he was breaking any laws. He appointed the treasurer when he opened his bank account, but he waited nearly a month to file the papers with the city clerk.
"It was an honest mistake," Van Gorden said. "It wasn't done with any malicious intent. I accept full responsibility."
Van Gorden, a middle school principal, defeated technology specialist Robert Avila in the April municipal election. The complaint against him came from a fellow educator: Jeanan McNary, a social studies teacher at Zephyrhills High School.
"The funny thing is, she supported me in my first two races," Van Gorden said. "We had a falling out during the last campaign."
The elections staff initially recommended a $10,000 fine, but the commission agreed to reduce the penalty to $3,000 when Van Gorden signed a consent order in October. He paid the fine in three installments.
Dade City commissioners earn $1,200 a year, before taxes.
The investigation determined that Van Gorden made the same mistake in his 2004 campaign, but the elections commission did not penalize him for the earlier violations.
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