ASUA spent $2K to promote the failed referendum

Associated Students Adviser Jim Drnek said the receipts may not be complete because different parts of ASUA have their own budgets.

These divisions independently sponsored different parts of the referendum promotion, he said.

"We got a clear message from students," Drnek said. "If it cost $2,000 to achieve this message, it was worth it."

Drnek confirmed that the totals from the various divisions could have reached $2,000, and said the money was well spent.

"Anything to create discussion is beneficial to solving the situation," he said.

Drnek added most of the money was typical of usual election expenses.

About $1,200 was spent for Arizona Daily Wildcat advertisements during the three weeks preceding and one week after the Student Union fee referendum. Three explained the referendum's wording, two advertised the KAMP Student Radio forum and the final ad thanked students who voted. About $370 of this came from the ASUA student education campaign for the referendum. About $170 more was used for the "thank-you" ad, which was placed by ASUA President Gilbert Davidson, Drnek said.

More than half the money spent in promotions came from the elections division, Drnek said, adding state law requires publishing referendum wordings beforehand.

About $125 was spent at Fast Copy on fliers, including those which Sen. Summer Katzenbach said were promoting a 'yes' vote.

However, Drnek said the bill for these pamphlets may be picked up by the Department of Student Unions.

Fast Copy employee Tom Bacome said he had a total of about $285 on the ASUA account balance, but could not say how much of that figure was spent on referendum material.

Finally, $250 was spent on a large sign that hung on the UA Mall, which advocated voting.

"There was some money we needed to spend to educate students on what they were voting," Drnek said. "The majority was educative. We tried to do our best to keep it all educative."

Drnek said he believed the money was spent well.

Four days before elections, Mark Rooney, who handled the Associated Students education campaign for the referendum, estimated he spent between $250 and $350 on informational fliers and posters.

However, Rooney emphasized this was only an estimate and said actual costs may end up being much higher.