MCAS ballot question supporters pay $4K penalty to resolve late reporting accusations

The group that backed a productive ballot question to end the use of the MCAS as a high school graduation requirement paid a penalty to resolve accusations that bureaucrats did not account million in contributions in a timely manner ahead of the November ballot The fight between the Massachusetts Teachers Association and business groups over the fate of the MCAS was the majority of expensive ballot question battle in Massachusetts during the voting process cycle with tens of millions flowing between the two sides according to state records But campaign finance regulators commented the Committee for High Standards Not High Stakes which was largely backed by the MTA did not description in monetary donations and more than million in in-kind contributions in the days leading up to the polling Although the committee accurately disclosed all of these contributions in its November th document the committee s failure to file the required late contribution reports frustrated the residents s interest in accurate and timely disclosure of campaign finance activity during the relevant period Office of Campaign and Political Finance Director William Campbell wrote in a June letter A spokesperson for the Massachusetts Teachers Association did not promptly provide a response to a Herald inquiry Tuesday Ballot question committees must file reports with state regulators if they receive a contribution of or more during what s known as the late contribution reporting period that began Oct and ended Nov The reports are designed to document cash flowing in and out of ballot question committees in the days just before an vote when spending can reach staggering amounts as supporters and opponents try to sway voters with last-minute pitches State regulators announced the committee backing the MCAS ballot question received a number of contributions during the later reporting period and filed two reports documenting the spending on Oct and Oct But the group did not disclose that it had received contributions totalling million during the late reporting period according to regulators The ballot question committee ultimately disclosed the fundraising in a analysis that was due on Electoral process Day OCPF authorities noted The receipt and utilization of these eleven contributions should have been disclosed in late contribution reports due within hours of receipt or utilization Campbell reported in his letter Since multiple late contributions can be revealed on a single description at a minimum four additional reports should have been filed The Committee for High Standards Not High Stakes communicated spending across and to back the question and receiving more than million in in-kind contributions for goods or services state input shows Opponents to the question largely business groups who formed the Protect Our Kids Future ballot question committee spent million in and and another in in-kind contributions in according to state material