The City of Boulder has filed a civil complaint in Boulder County Court alleging that a former city council candidate failed to repay a portion of unspent campaign funds as required under a public matching funds agreement.
Aaron Stone, who lost his bid for a Boulder City Council seat in November 2025, accepted nearly $5,000 in public matching funds for his campaign, according to campaign finance records. Under the city’s matching funds program, candidates must return at least 50% of any unexpended funds to the city.
The dispute centers on how much money Stone had left after the election. The city’s complaint, filed Feb. 12, alleges he had a remaining balance of about $750 and owes roughly $375. Stone says he owes about $220.
Stone said he donated his remaining unspent funds to a charity that provides winter supplies to people displaced by war. He has said the humanitarian crisis in Gaza inspired his council run and that he has urged the city to divest from companies that sell weapons to Israel.
“I believe this matter reflects a good-faith disagreement over how the remaining funds should be calculated,” Stone told Boulder Reporting Lab. “Given the broader financial challenges facing Boulder, I hope this issue can be resolved efficiently and without unnecessary expense to taxpayers.”
The complaint appears to be unusual. A review of court records found no similar cases filed by the city in at least the past decade. A Boulder County judge has ordered the parties to participate in alternative dispute resolution before issuing a judgment.
So the City is keeping track of hundreds of dollars owed from failed CC candidate and devoting far more money in legal resources to collect it. Meanwhile countless millions are being lost to profiteers and investment interests strangling our local economy. What a petty and impotent performance of fiscal austerity.