The Daily Chronicle says the off-hand accusations against the paper for printing a news article and editorial concerning the forest preserve tax referendum are unfounded.

In Sunday’s edition, the local paper published “Foundation helped raise funds for forest referendum,” in which City Editor Chris Rickert reported on the possible unethical manner in which money for a campaign supporting the referendum was raised.

The article stated, “The arrangement between Neighbors for Open Space, Clean Air and Water, or NOSCAW, and the DeKalb County Community Foundation runs afoul of federal rules governing how money donated to charitable organizations can be spent.”

Michael Haines, NOSCAW chairman and county board member, said it was odd the Chronicle’s article ran in Sunday’s paper.

He said he’s suspicious of the motives behind publishing the article because he saw it as an extension of the views of the editorial, “Vote no on DeKalb County’s forest preserve referendum.”

Rickert didn’t print a lot of “newsworthy” information, Haines said.

John Kelleher, managing editor of the Daily Chronicle said news reporting and opinion writing are two completely different forums.

The Chronicle published Rickert’s article with the motivation of showing the public where political funding comes from, he said.

The way NOSCAW received its funds was “unusual and interesting,” he said.

DeKalb County Clerk Sharon Holmes said a group that raises money in support or opposition of a certain issue is considered a political organization and needs to report how much money is raised.

NOSCAW, with the help from a pass-through account with DCCF, raised about $8,000, Haines said.

With that money, NOSCAW bought advertisements that stated, “Vote Yes for the Open Space Referendum on March 21,” Haines said.

NOSCAW’s actions transformed the group from an educational organization to a political organization. However the group did not file the necessary reports, he said.

Haines said he filed the reports yesterday without penalty from the State Board of Elections officials.

“This sort of thing happens all the time,” he said.

A transfer tax referendum in Sycamore, which was filed late, didn’t receive any penalties either, Haines said.

He said he was surprised the Chronicle wrote a story about a small fundraising organization filing late.

Jerry Smith, executive director of DCCF, said bringing up the issue may be “making a mountain out of an ant hill,” but said he won’t make any presumptions about the Chronicle’s motives for printing the story.