HPISD Trustee Candidates File Second Campaign Finance Reports

Highland Park ISD Place 1 trustee candidates Kelli Macatee and Doug Woodward’s second campaign finance reports were posted Monday. 

Macatee received $90,726.70 in political contributions from March 23-April 21, the largest of which was a $25,000 contribution from Harlan R. Crow, according to her report.

Woodward received $25,067.07 in contributions between March 31 and April 23, the largest of which were five separate contributions of $970.70 each, according to his report.

In 2019, which HPISD chief of staff and communications director Jon Dahlander said was likely the trustee election that raised the most money previously, candidate Philip Philbin received $25,125 in total political contributions between Jan. 28, 2019 and March 25, 2019 and Jae Ellis, who won the election for Place 4 that year, received $19,627.11 in total political contributions between Jan. 30, 2019 and March 25, 2019, according to campaign finance reports.

Macatee’s first campaign finance report showed her campaign returned a $10,000 contribution from the Rowling Foundation, a nonprofit.

Nonprofits are prohibited from donating to political campaigns, according to the IRS.

The Rowling Foundation seeks to “be a resource for financial assistance, consultative ministry, and prayer support to those organizations committed to the cause of Christ,” according to the website. 

“There was a $10,000 donation that was written mistakenly on the wrong check,” an amended campaign finance report Macatee’s campaign filed reads. “It was supposed to come from a personal account and not the family foundation account. The money has been refunded.”

An endorsement letter of Woodward’s posted online also raised eyebrows before it was replaced.

Early voting in the Highland Park ISD Place 1 election to replace board president Jim Hitzelberger runs from April 19-27, and election day is May 1.