Vrbanovic's campaign was the second costliest among all 180 candidates in Waterloo Region. Only Jay Aissa, who ran unsuccessfully for regional chair, spent more, with expenses of $251,000.

Vrbanovic's two biggest campaign expenses were $28,300 on advertising and $22,500 on brochures. He also spent $16,300 on telephone research, most of which was to identify potential supporters, he said.

The campaign limit for the Kitchener mayoral race, which is determined by the number of potential voters, was $132,696.50.

"In a city that is the size of more than two federal ridings, it takes money to be able to get information out to people, to put signs up and to get out your message," Vrbanovic said.

He says he spent about 62 cents for every eligible voter in Kitchener, less than either Aissa or Waterloo Mayor Dave Jaworsky spent per voter.

Vrbanovic raised enough money to cover almost all of his expenses, with almost $85,000 in campaign contributions, including 66 companies contributing $37,400 in cash. Individual donors included outgoing mayor Carl Zehr and former Liberal MPP and cabinet minister John Milloy, who each chipped in $200.

The companies that donated to his campaign included at least 18 of the most prominent local developers, such as Schlegel, Voisin, Reid Homes, Activa and Mattamy.

A variety of individuals and companies made contributions, Vrbanovic said. With the maximum donation limited to $750, "the amount that we're talking about is not going to garner any influence."

In his years as a municipal councillor, he voted against proposals from developers who contributed to his campaign, and he said no donor has ever raised the fact they contributed to his campaign.

"It doesn't matter who the individuals are or the companies are, or whether they voted for me. Once elected, you're there to represent everybody and make the best decisions possible."

Vrbanovic's campaign netted him almost 60 per cent of votes cast, compared to 26 per cent for second-place finisher, former city councillor Dan Glenn-Graham. Glenn-Graham spent $43,458.95, most of which was covered by a contribution from his wife. He collected $6,194 from five individuals and seven companies and unions, including $500 from CUPE 1750, the union representing workers at the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, where Glenn-Graham works, four donations from construction/developers and $750 from the law firm co-founded by former Conservative finance minister Jim Flaherty.

Restaurateur Peter Martin spent $9,763.16, including $2,038.16 of his own funds. James Rhodes spent about $5,330, including about $3,800 of his own money. Slavko Miladinovic spent $100.

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Among those running for a seat on Kitchener council, Ward 7 candidate Harald Drewitz spent the most at $13,373. Drewitz won 1,627 votes after spending $9,900 of his own money on the campaign. That compared to the winner in the ward, incumbent councillor Bil Ioannidis, whose expenses totalled $8,994 and who won 2,899 votes.

Most ward candidates spent between $3,500 and $6,000 on their campaigns. Even Coun. John Gazzola, who was acclaimed in Ward 3, spent about $1,000 on letters urging people to get out and vote, since they could still vote for mayor, as well as school board and regional representatives.