More than $229,000 spent by Hall state legislative candidates

ATLANTA - When is comes to the races for the state legislature for seats including Hall County, senate candidate Joyce Stevens is the big spender.

According to records on file with the Secretary of State's office in Atlanta, Stevens, who is in a four-person race for Senate District Post 45, has spent $73,000 so far, while collecting contributions of $113,000. Maria Strollo reports campaign expenses of $5,400 and the fourth candidate in the race, Nathan Warnock, shows expenses of $5,000.

Among State House candidates, the most expensive race is turning out to be the one between incumbent James Mills and Ralph Tayor. Mills has raised $31,000 while spending $27,000; Taylor reports contributions of $13,000 and expeditures of $5,400.

The District 21 race for the Republican nomination shows Stacy Reece leading Ty Tally in both contributions and expenses. Reece reports contributions of $36,000 and expeditures of $22,000. Tally, on the other hand, says he has collected $12,000 from contributors and has spent $7,800 on the campaign so far.

The two incumbent Republican State Representatives lead in campaign contributions and expenditures in the three-man race for a reconfigured House District #9. Amos Amerson has raised $11,000 - while spending $6,400 to this point; Clint Smith reports collecting $9,000 - while spending $6,000.

The third candidate - Stephen Black - shows contributions and expenditures of $4,800 and $1,600, respectively.

In the only contested Democratic primary race for a state legislative seat from Hall County, State House District 21 candidates Tim Hoyt and Fred Pounds report expenses of $400 each. Pounds reports contributions of $825; Hoyt reports no contributions.