Developers bailed Tom Vegh out after the 2018 election when they were told he needed help in clearing a massive $30,000 deficit run up during the election campaign. 

The cheques from developers came cascading in like a tsunami, rescuing Vegh from probable disqualification as a newly elected regional councillor.

Vegh could not use his own money to pay off the huge deficit as there is a hard cap on the amount of money candidates and their spouses can contribute to their own campaign. In 2018, the hard cap in the regional councillor race was $16,103.10. This year the self-funding limit is marginally lower at $16,098.

If the developers had not coughed up he would have been unable to pay off the enormous $30,000 deficit himself because of the so-called self-financing rules. 

Buying elections

The self-funding cap is designed to prevent wealthy people buying elections using their own money. It is based on a straightforward formula taking into account the number of electors. It varies for the Mayor and regional councillor and for the individual ward candidates where it is, of course, much lower.

The 2018 Ontario Candidates’ Guide to the municipal election 2018 warns the penalty for exceeding the spending limit is disqualification.

“ if your financial statement shows that you exceeded your spending limit…. The penalty is that you forfeit your office (if you won the election) and you become ineligible to run or be appointed to fill a vacancy until after the 2022 election.”

Cash from developers

So the cash from the developers was absolutely crucial to Vegh's success. He admits as much in this extraordinary and revealing confession to Newmarket Today in April 2019.

Vegh’s personal spending on his 2018 campaign was capped at $16,103.60.

In another fascinating story in Newmarket Today Vegh shifts the focus from York Region to Newmarket.

I don't blame Vegh for dissembling - that's what he does. It is in his DNA.

In Newmarket he goes with the flow, otherwise he would have to argue his point of view with Taylor and the other councillors. He rarely does this as it makes him feel uncomfortable. He is, by nature, timid.

But at York Region, where he has a low, almost invisible, profile, he can take the developers' line without attracting too much attention. This is his pay-back to the developers who support him with barrow loads of cash at election time.

Public Debate

I want to debate these issues with Tom Vegh on a public platform.

It is not "mudslinging" as he suggests. It's democracy at work.

He can run but he can't hide.

I need to know if he is taking developers money in this election - as he did in 2018.

Why won't he tell us?

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Updated on 4 September 2022 to include the self-funding limit for Vegh's campaign for regional councillor - $16,103.60.