Council race war chests swell
Lolita Harper
After the third campaign finance filing period this election
season, totals show large coffers continuing to grow in the Costa
Mesa City Council race, with incumbent Councilman Gary Monahan
holding more than $40,000 and a sizable lead.
As required by state law, local politicians -- both sitting and
aspiring -- reported Thursday how much money they hold in specially
designated campaign accounts. The five Costa Mesa council candidates
have collected more than $114,000 in campaign contributions between
them. Monahan claims the largest chunk, with a total of $40,341.88.
The councilman’s largest contribution was $8,850 from the Rental
Housing Independent, a subsidiary of the Orange County Apartment
Assn. The housing group sponsored a controversial phone poll gauging
candidate and Planning Commission Chairwoman Katrina Foley’s
community popularity. Rental Housing Independent gave Monahan $5,000
in cash and $3,850 in-kind contributions for the poll results.
Newport Beach Mayor Tod Ridgeway also contributed $200 toward his
reelection.
Monahan has spent a total of $31,567.34, with large chunks going
toward car-magnet signs and a TV advertisement.
Monahan has raised almost $14,000 more than Foley, who has raised
the second highest amount.
Foley raised $26,738.40, followed closely by Mayor Linda Dixon,
who brought in $25,243. Foley and Dixon both reported contributions
from a mix of residents, small businesses and out-of-town
contributors. Resident Paul Wilbur donated a hefty $800 to Foley for
the year and also contributed $249 to Dixon.
Although Foley was the target of a phone poll that raised partisan
issues, she has spent equal amounts on slate mailers to both Democrat
and Republican groups.
Planning Commissioner Bill Perkins may trail the others, but
showed a remarkable gain in the most recent filing period. Perkins
more than doubled his previous contributions total, raising $21,222.
“I raised $19,000 in 10 days,” Perkins said.
Resident Frank Michelena was the largest individual contributor,
giving $999. Perkins also received an in-kind contribution of $3,850
from Rental Housing Independent in the form of the phone poll
results. He reported another $3,000 in loans.
Although first-time candidate Allan Mansoor, who serves on the
city’s Human Relations Committee, trails in numbers -- $10,374 -- his
statements show a strong nonmonetary backing from the same Westside
activists who successfully elected Councilman Chris Steel. The
Feeneys, the Erics and Mike Berry have volunteered fliers, envelopes,
postage and signs toward Mansoor’s campaign.
Every cash contribution Mansoor has received has come from Costa
Mesa residents, except for $100 from a relative in Santa Rosa and
$500 from the California Rifle and Pistol Assn.
Former Mayor Sandra Genis eloquently pointed out that money is not
the end all and be all of city elections. Genis said she was
repeatedly out-financed but never out-campaigned.
It doesn’t matter how much the candidates raise, it’s how they use
their money and their time, she said.
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