Ramos development, construction companies fly under radar as they pour money into Austin Arthur campaign 

Updated Nov. 4, 10 a.m. to reflect a $1,000 donation refund to Empire Finish Systems from the Austin Arthur campaign.

Winter Garden City Commissioner Iliana Ramos Jones together with the Empire conglomerate of development and construction companies that she owns and operates with her two brothers has poured money into Austin Arthur’s campaign for Orange County Commissioner, campaign finance records show. 

But unlike Scott Boyd, the one-time county commissioner-turned-developer who has attracted a lot of attention for his friendship with Arthur and the contributions he's made to his campaign, Jones and her companies’ donations have largely gone unnoticed — even as she, her family and her companies have donated more than double what Boyd’s companies have contributed to Arthur. 

Campaign finance records indicate that the Ramoses contributed a total of $19,000 to Arthur’s personal campaign and his political action committee Citizens for Common Sense Solutions (CCSS). The family is one of Arthur's largest donors, surpassing the $5,000 in contributions from companies controlled by Boyd and the $15,000 from local developer Karam Duggal.

However, it appears that Empire Finish Systems may have violated campaign finance law by donating more than the allowable limit to Arthur’s individual campaign. Political action committees have no limits on contributions, but candidate campaigns cap contributions from individuals and companies at $1,000. 

Arthur’s is the second race Jones has funneled substantial money into after her own largely self-funded March campaign for District 2 commissioner. Jones spent more than $21,000 — nearly as much as the four other candidates in Winter Garden’s municipal races combined.

Jones gave $1,000 to Arthur’s campaign on June 29, 2023. That same day, four Empire companies (Empire Developers, Empire Finish Systems, Empire Foam and Industrial Center @429 LLC) each donated $1,000 to Arthur’s campaign as well. 

In December 2023, four Ramos family members — including Jones’ husband Charles and Oakland Town Commissioner Sal Ramos’ wife Marivel — each donated $1,000 to the campaign. 

Then two weeks before the Aug. 20 election, Jones tossed $5,000 into Arthur’s CCSS PAC. Last month, on Oct. 15, 2024, each of the four Empire companies donated another $1,000 to Arthur’s campaign.  

Here’s where Empire Finish Systems may have run afoul of campaign finance law: Records show that that company made an additional $1,000 donation on Aug. 23, 2023, putting its total donations to Arthur's campaign for the Aug. 20 election at $2,000 — $1,000 over the campaign finance limit.

It's allowable for contributors to donate up to $1,000 to both a candidate’s primary and main election campaigns. But this donation is dated nearly a full year ahead of the Aug. 20 election, long before it was known that there would be a Nov. 5, 2024, runoff. 

On Monday, after VoxPopuli brought the extra donation to the attention of the Austin Arthur campaign, Tracy Main, the campaign manager, processed a $1,000 donation refund check for Empire Finish Systems, which she said would be delivered to the company today.

"We will be conducting an audit and ensuring all giving is correct, if there is any overage from a donor it will be refunded and reported in our final report this month," Arthur told VoxPopuli in a Monday morning text.

Neither Jones nor Sal Ramos, Empire Finish System's CEO, responded to text messages requesting comment.

Meanwhile, Jones isn’t the only Winter Garden commissioner with ties to the building industry who has contributed to Arthur’s campaign. District 4 Commissioner Colin Sharman, an executive with the heating and air conditioning maker Trane, and his wife Cyndi, are the next largest donors. They contributed $9,000 to Arthur’s campaign and PAC. District 1 Commissioner Lisa Bennett, a real estate agent, donated $1,000 to Arthur’s campaign.