Villaraigosa, Zine to pay $13,280 in election fines

The city Ethics Commission is scheduled to meet today to impose a combined $13,280 in fines on Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Councilman Dennis Zine, both of whom were accused by the agency of violating campaign finance laws.

Zine has agreed to pay $8,080 in fines stemming in part from his failure to turn in the proper paperwork for expenditures made by his officeholder account, including $180.51 to Palm restaurant, $210 to La Tortilla Loca and $374.76 to Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles.

The commission also concluded Zine had failed to keep sufficient records and made payments from his officeholder account during a prohibited time.

Villaraigosa will pay $5,200 as punishment for accepting contributions above the city’s $500 per donor limit during his 2003 City Council run and for failing to turn in campaign literature to the commission by the deadline.