3 Costa Mesa candidates top $20,000

Lolita Harper

This year’s City Council election has proven to be an expensive

one, with the three leading fund-raisers having garnered more than

$20,000 in total political contributions, city documents show.

Incumbent Gary Monahan leads the pack with a total of $24,820.50,

out-campaigning his fellow city leaders by nearly $4,000. Planning

Commission Chairwoman Katrina Foley barely edged out Mayor Linda

Dixon, raising $21,017.90 -- just $96 more than the mayor.

As required by state law, local politicians -- both sitting and

aspiring -- reported Monday how much money they hold in specially

designated campaign accounts. Foley and Dixon started this campaign

season with a zero balance. Monahan, a two-term councilman, had

$2,103.27 left over from previous campaign seasons, seed money for a

spending arsenal fast approaching the $30,000 mark.

The councilman, who announced at the last minute that he would

seek reelection, had raised nothing during the previous filing

period, between Jan. 1 and June 30.

While candidates have raised more in the past, those close to city

politics say the aggregate amount raised this campaign season tops

recent figures.

Planning Commissioner Bill Perkins and Human Relations Committee

member Allan Mansoor were out-campaigned by more than $10,000,

pulling in $10,397 and $8,151, respectively. Despite the large

difference in contributions from the three leaders, Perkin’s and

Mansoor’s totals are typical of past races, especially with a month

left to campaign.

Monahan, who said the race is still anyone’s to take, said he won

each of his previous bids with about $15,000.

“If you can reach the amount you feel you need to get your message

out, you have a chance,” Monahan said. “Four of five candidates are

over $10,000 and it’s a wide open race. Everybody has enough money to

get their message out there if they use it wisely.”

Monahan, who owns Skosh Monahan’s restaurant, has received

donations from a wide mix of supporters, including local small

business owners and fellow restaurateurs. The largest contributions

to his campaign came from Santa Ana-based SDL Management Corp. --

which gave $2,500 -- and Angel’s Auto Spa on Newport Boulevard --

with $2,000.

The incumbent has spent a large part of his funds on pricey

magnetic car emblems, large banners and lawn signs. Monahan also

spent $2,668 for a local cable TV spot.

Dixon’s supporters were largely from small local businesses,

residents and regional political action committees. Paul Folino,

Emulex chairman and chief executive, gave $249 to the mayor’s

reelection campaign.

Her largest contribution was $1,000 from Arnel Management Co.,

billionaire businessman George Argyros’ company, which owns 18

apartment complexes in Orange County. Argyros is now the U.S.

Ambassador to Spain and Andorra.

The mayor has spent about $1,800 in literature and mailings and

about $1,600 in lawn signs.

Foley has managed to rack up her $20,000 from a slew of small

donations ranging from $99 to $249. Foley received money from four

car dealerships on the Harbor Boulevard of Cars and a personal

contribution from Laguna Beach resident and councilman Paul Freeman,

who is also the spokesman for C.J. Segerstrom & Sons. Her largest

monetary support came from residents Paul Wilbur and Ken Fait, who

each donated $600. Three Gleneagles Terrace residents, who sparked

Foley’s push for a view ordinance after a contentious two-story

addition threatened their ocean views, gave a combined contribution

of $350.

Perkins raised money in large part from automotive businesses,

garnering donations from six car dealerships, general repair shops,

towing services and a collision center.

Mansoor, a Westside resident, is being bolstered by the same

Westside activists who successfully placed Councilman Chris Steel on

the dais. Steel gave $240 to Mansoor’s campaign.

Although Mansoor has the least to work with, he leads the group in

the amount spent on slate mailers. Mansoor exhausted $4,451 -- more

than half of his funds -- on eight different mailers. Foley spent

nearly $4,000 on six and Dixon paid roughly $2,000 for four.

* LOLITA HARPER covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at lolita.harper@latimes.com.