The testy battle over the post of Miami-Dade County's first elected property appraiser escalated this week when the Florida Elections Commission said it would investigate if one of the candidates used improper funds to pay the qualifying fee.

Two weeks ago, Palmetto Bay real-estate attorney Thomas M. David filed a complaint with the commission claiming that Jim Shedd didn't list as a campaign expenditure his $6,530 qualifying fee to enter the race.

Shedd wrote the check from Colonial Bank to the Board of County Commissioners on Aug. 20.

Shedd, a retired undercover Drug Enforcement Administration officer, is facing off against Pedro J. Garcia, Eddie Lewis, and former county commissioner and state senator Gwen Margolis to become the county's first elected property appraiser -- a vital role responsible for determing the county's multibillion-dollar tax roll.

The election is Nov. 4.

INVESTIGATION

Earlier this week, the elections commission said it found cause to investigate Shedd for filing a false, incorrect or incomplete treasurer's report, and for failing to report contributions. The investigation will determine if there is cause to hold a hearing, which is not likely to take place until after the election.

Over the last three reporting periods, from Aug. 22 through Sept. 26, Shedd's records show contributions of $79,335 and expenditures of $72,082. The difference ($7,253) is enough to cover the qualifying fee. Nowhere in the report does it list an expenditure of $6,530.

''The money was paid. It came out of the account,'' said Shedd, adding that he hadn't heard about the complaint until Thursday and that it must be a ``mistake.''

''We've been wondering when it would start,'' Shedd said, blaming the attack on Margolis. ``If this is all they've got, I'll be glad to take it.''

Margolis said she wasn't aware of the complaint. ''Thomas David is not connected with me in any way, shape or form,'' she said, but added, ``it's obvious [a complaint] should have been filed.''

`WONK'

David, who served as chief of staff for former County Manager Steve Shiver while Margolis sat on the commission, said he wasn't backing her for the important seat.

A self-professed government ''wonk,'' David said someone mentioned the discrepancies to him a few weeks back so he looked it up online. After noticing the fee wasn't reported as an expenditure, and after viewing seven nonsufficient fund charges in the expense reports, he said it was time to let the public see for itself.

`HE DOESN'T BELONG'

''When somebody's out there running for a job like this, and he's not disclosing simple things or balancing checks, to me he doesn't belong there,'' David said.

Responded Shedd: 'If he's not a lobbyist, he must be deep in one of the lobbyists' pockets. [Margolis has] got every lobbyist in Dade County raising money and helping her get elected.''

Margolis didn't respond to the comment.

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