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Thursday, May 27, 2010

Final Campaign Finance Statements In

Posted on Thu, May 27, 2010 at 10:45 PM

It's that time again. The latest round of campaign finance disclosure forms have arrived, minus one from Paul Gallegos, who hadn't filed by the time the Election's Office closed Thursday night. Below is a taste of the financial madness, primarily focusing on major contributers for each candidate. By this point, the lines are drawn and the typical players are rallying behind one candidate or another.

Look for a more in-depth analysis in next week's Journal.

Supervisor, Fifth District

Ryan Sundberg

Current Cycle Cash: $26,268.44
Total Cash: $82,518.44
Current Cycle Non-Monetary: $15,140
Total Non-Monetary: $15,157.43
Total Contributions: $97,675.93
Current Cycle Expenses: $73,824.90
Total Expenses: $100,080

Sundberg maintains his financial superiority in the Fifth District race. He received eight contributions of $1,000 or more this cycle: $1,500 from North Coast Fabricators, Harvey Harper Co., Lundblade & Co. and the Humboldt Builders' Exchange PAC, along with $1,000 bumps from Jackie Saunderson (St. Joseph's Hospital nurse), Harry Hardin (Eel River Disposal), Ellen Mora (Humboldt Auction Yard), and Dennis Wend River Walk Property.

Pat Cleary

Current Cycle Cash: $42,665
Total Cash: $57,722
Current Cycle Non-Monetary: $902
Total Non-Monetary: $902
Total Contributions: $63,624
Current Cycle Expenses: $54,828
Total Expenses: $60,667

Cleary was the largest cash earner of all the candidates this cycle (unless Gallegos changes that), yet he still, money-wise, is no where near Sundberg in funding. The most eye-widening contribution comes from the Blue Lake Rancheria, who hooked Cleary up this cycle to the tune of $15,000 ($20,000 total). Bill Pierson-owned Sedgefield Properties dropped $5,000, North Coast Horticultural Supply gave $3,000, and the Humboldt County Deputy Sheriff's Organization threw down $1,500.

Pat Higgins

Current Cycle Cash: $5,953
Total Cash: $11,197
Current Cycle Non-Monetary: $160
Total Non-Monetary: $160
Total Contributions: $13,357
Current Cycle Expenses: $12,643
Total Expenses: $16,897

Compared to Cleary and Sundberg, Higgins raised quarters, and he even threw in a few of his own -- $2,000 this cycle. Higgins also stated he wasn't planning on being active on the fundraising front. Most of his contributions were $100 to $200, except for three $500 ones which he got from his business partner William Keir, Danny Hagans, a geologist consultant from McKinleyville, and Greg Blomstrom, a professional forester from Fieldbrook.

Jeffrey Lytle

Current Cycle Cash: $0
Total Cash: $0
Current Cycle Non-Monetary: $0
Total Non-Monetary: $0
Total Contributions: $500
Current Cycle Expenses: $327.14
Total Expenses: $1,978.62

Lytle was serious when he said he wasn't raising a dime. And he hasn't. But he is spending out his pocket, making him the only candidate to truly not take one donation from anyone, except for a loan last cycle from his company.

Supervisor, Fourth District

Bonnie Neely

Current Cycle Cash: $23,162
Total Cash: $73,130
Current Cycle Non-Monetary: $19,325
Total Non-Monetary: $34,950
Total Contributions: $113,080
Current Cycle Expenses: $40,215
Total Expenses: $56,177

There was a big commotion by opponents of Neely about a fundraiser held in Sacramento back in April. There was this expectation that she would drawn in untold amounts of cash from out-of-area interests, such as a $10,000 contribution last cycle from Dana Point-based developer MPDSE, Inc.

Of the 36 reported contributions this cycle, 13 were from outside of Humboldt County, the largest of which was $1,500 from Thomas DeArth, a hydrologist from Ripon, CA, $1,000 from Congressman Mike Thompson's and Wes Chesbro's campaigns, Steven and Gillian Foster, of Venice (Lucky Strike Entertainment), and M. Keith and Cynthia Wadell, of Half Moon Bay (Robert Half International), as well as four $500 ones. Her largest contribution this cycle was $4,500 from Dee Atkins, manager of Ocean West in McKinleyville.

Jeff Leonard

Current Cycle Cash: $4,057
Total Cash: $6,501
Current Cycle Non-Monetary: $2,485
Total Non-Monetary: $2,769
Total Contributions: $17,222
Current Cycle Expenses: $6,250
Total Expenses: $12,978

Leonard appears to have stayed true to his campaign promise of not relying on special interest money this cycle, but he did gain $1,500 from one Paul Shoen, of Glenbrook, NV. He is also floating $2,350 in loans and gained most of his cash through small contributions.

Virginia Bass

Current Cycle Cash: $34,428
Total Cash: $109,754
Current Cycle Non-Monetary: $7,864
Total Non-Monetary: $10,027
Total Contributions: $119,781.03
Current Cycle Expenses: $72,054.62
Total Expenses: $94,236.75

There were four candidates that received money for their campaign in 2009: Downey, Neely, Sundberg, and Bass. Of all those candidates, Bass is the only one to disclose her 2009 figures with the rest. Don't take this as an endorsement, just sayin'.

Bass pulled in the most cash of all the Fourth District Supe candidates this cycle, and she also has the largest war chest of not only her competitors but all candidates in all races. She earned seven contributions of $1,000 or more this cycle: $4,000 from the Humboldt County Deputy Sheriff's Organization, $1,499 from Lundblade & Co., and $1,000 bumps from Dennis Wendt Riverwalk Property, Sicily Benzinger (St. Joseph's Hospital Nurse), Jackie Saunderson (also a St. Joe's nurse), Eilenn Mora (Fortuna farmer), and Harry Hardin (President of Eel River Disposal).

District Attorney

Allison Jackson

Current Cycle Cash: $37,548
Total Cash: $51,222
Current Cycle Non-Monetary: $8,714
Total Non-Monetary: $8,714
Total Contributions: $59,936
Current Cycle Expenses: $48,131
Total Expenses: $59,969

Without knowing what Gallegos pulled in, Jackson is leading the money game for the DA race so far. She got a few hefty sponsors this cycle: $6,500 from the Humboldt County Deputy Sheriff's Organization, $4,125 from Harry Hardin (Eel River Disposal), $1,500 Kenneth Quigley (Father of deceased Nicole Quigley), Kathleen Alves (Assistant Manager at Adel's Restaurant), $1,000 from Jackie Sunderson (St. Joeseph's Hospital nurse), $975 from Nancy Cavanaugh (VP of Miranda's Rescue), and, perhaps most noteworthy, $500 from former DA candidate Worth Dikeman.

Kathleen Bryson

Current Cycle Cash: $2,871
Total Cash: $11,621
Current Cycle Non-Monetary: $0
Total Non-Monetary: $0
Total Contributions: $17,137.11
Current Cycle Expenses: $4,638.64
Total Expenses: $22,703.50

Although Bryson dropped out of the DA race back on April 27, it's worth noting what she earned financially before that time. As with the cycle prior, most of her contributions came from givings under $100 a pop, all but $100 of the cash she got. Last cycle, she gained a whopping $8,450.

Paul Hagen

Current Cycle Cash: $16,045
Total Cash: $18,884
Current Cycle Non-Monetary: $0
Total Non-Monetary: $167
Total Contributions: $42,392
Current Cycle Expenses: $34,782.38
Total Expenses: $39,319

During this cycle, Hagen took out a $16,000 personal loan, bringing his person contribution to $21,200. A relative, Lillian Hagen, also gave him $10,000 this cycle. Factoring in all other contributions, the vast majority of his funding comes from outside of Humboldt County. Another notable contribution this cycle is $1,000 from Thomas DeArth, a hydrologist from Ripon, CA.

Paul Gallegos

Current Cycle Cash: $13,000 Known
Total Cash: $20,093
Current Cycle Non-Monetary: Unknown
Total Non-Monetary: $0
Total Contributions: $40,093
Current Cycle Expenses: Unknown
Total Expenses: $16,197 Known

As of Thursday night, Gallegos was the only candidate who didn't file his disclosure forms. This is not to say that he blotched the deadline, because candidates can also have their forms postmarked today, so it could very well be in the mail.

That said, what is known through other disclosure forms is that the Blue Lake Rancheria dropped $10,000 into his coffers in April, and his wife, Joan Gallegos, gave him $3,000. But based on what is known, about half of the money in his war chest is from a $20,000 loan from a relative in Florida.

Assessor

Johanna Rodoni

Current Cycle Cash: $32,303
Total Cash: $53,776
Current Cycle Non-Monetary: $6,100
Total Non-Monetary: $6,100
Total Contributions: $59,876
Current Cycle Expenses: $33,888.55
Total Expenses: $54,501.32

Rodoni continues to lead in money raised for the Assessor race. She, like Downey, racked in a large sum of cash from small contributions - $13,598. She also received large contributions from Harry Hardin of Eel River Disposal ($2,250), Humboldt Tea Party organizer Dorice Miranda ($900), Wendt Construction ($900), and Sequoia Gas Co. ($850).

Jon Brooks

Current Cycle Cash: $24,908
Total Cash: $30,781.45
Current Cycle Non-Monetary: $4,389.16
Total Non-Monetary: $5,110.84
Total Contributions: $35.892.29
Current Cycle Expenses: $36,861.27
Total Expenses: $38,516.25

Brooks didn't plan on running a heavily funded campaign, but after seeing Rodoni's influx of cash last cycle, he had to break a few of his own rules. He gained a score of $100 or so contributions, but the big cash came from the Blue Lake Rancheria ($10,000), Dr. Ken Miller ($540), Clotille and Warren Brooks, of Gresham, OR ($500 each), the Hoopa Valley Tribe ($500), Buck Mt. Ranch ($500), I.M. Brock, of Hoopa ($500), and Patrick Murphy, owner of Murphy's Markets ($500).

Mari Wilson

Current Cycle Cash: $2,495.50
Total Cash: $5,287.50
Current Cycle Non-Monetary: $464.46
Total Non-Monetary: $2,919.74
Total Contributions: $20,642.79
Current Cycle Expenses: $13,312.12
Total Expenses: $15,244.73

Wilson, the second-in-command in the Assessor's Office, isn't raising much cash, but she did drop a whopping $6,367 of her own money into her campaign. She also took out a loan from her husband, Craig Wilson, to the tune of $5,000. The only large contribution she got was from Erik Larsen, who works for Renner Petroleum, for $500.

Sheriff

Mike Downey

Current Cycle Cash: $38,360
Total Cash: $64,756
Current Cycle Non-Monetary: $11,180
Total Non-Monetary: $13,722
Total Contributions: $78,478
Current Cycle Expenses: $47,823
Total Expenses: $70,824

Downey still maintains his financial support from the law enforcement community, but he also earned some cash from other places. His top contributer this campaign was the Blue Lake Rancheria for $5,000, followed by $3,000 from the Humboldt County Deputy Sheriff's Organization, and $1,305 from Gwen and Steve Morris (owners of Morris Logging) . He also earned a third of his cash - a staggering $11,910 - from small contributions.

Mike Hislop

Current Cycle Cash: $6,592.49
Total Cash: $21,331.99
Current Cycle Non-Monetary: $1,010
Total Non-Monetary: $7,833
Total Contributions: $29,164.99
Current Cycle Expenses: $13,006.74
Total Expenses: $20,967.44

Hislop earned a third of his cash this cycle from small contributions. He received three contributions over $500: $1,000 from Deborah Flint (Retired of McKinleyville), and $500 from both the Hoopa Tribe and Sonia Bauer (Mother of Harbor Commissioner Mike Wilson).