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.