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City controller hopeful John Liu insisted during a recent debate that he's refunded every major contribution from donors linked to groups he's given taxpayer dollars as a city councilman. But it's simply not true.

The Daily News counted at least 10 people on the boards of groups to which he steered money who have lavished him with donations.

Among them:

- Two board members of Asian Americans for Equality, which got $50,000 from Liu's portion of the City Council slush fund this year. Banking executive Fred Hung gave the maximum $4,950.

- Two board members of the Flushing Business Improvement District gave Liu $4,950 and a third, restaurateur Raymond Chen, appears to have given $5,200. Liu has given the BID $25,000.

Council members often get contributions from people tied to groups they fund: A News study of the fiscal year that ended in June found three-quarters of the 51 Council members took such money.

That includes all four candidates for controller in tomorrow's primary. What makes Liu unique is that he insisted last Thursday that he returned such funds. When the Daily News debate panelist noted The News had identified unreturned contributions, Liu said those were "nothing more than token amounts."

"We looked at all the large contributions very carefully, and by large, I mean $500 or more," he said. "These large contributions should not be coming - and have not come - from organizations that have direct affiliations [with groups] I have funded."

Liu spokeswoman Juanita Scarlett noted donors are only required to list their employer, not all affiliations.

Liu doesn't feel those who donate "time, resources and goodwill" by serving on boards but are "unlikely to receive personal financial gain from their service" should be banned from contributing, she said.