Former clerk leads in funds

If dollars counted as votes, Verna Rollinger would be shoo-in for a seat on the Laguna Beach City Council.

Rollinger has raised a total of $36,648, including $7,619 in non-monetary contributions, according to papers filed with the City Clerk. Her amount is only $4,000 less in cash than incumbent candidates Cheryl Kinsman and Jane Egly combined.

Campaign Treasurer Bill Rihn listed 112 monetary donors between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30, the filing deadline for the financial statements. However, some of the donors were credited with donations more than once.

Linda Brown was listed as the donor of $255 on Aug. 9, $255 on Aug. 30 and $360 on Sept. 6. No doubt a clerical error because Brown was vigilant in reviewing the 2006 election financial statements for errors.

The maximum individual contribution allowed in Laguna is $360 per election cycle.

Donors of $360 to Rollinger included Councilwoman Toni Iseman, former Village Laguna President Bette Anderson, Barbara Metzger, former Mayor Phyllis Sweeney, Bonnie Hano, Rihn and Cindalee Hall, who also hosted a fundraiser for Rollinger at her Crescent Bay home.

Supporters also include council critic Mary Dolphin and Laguna Beach Unified School District board members Betsy Jenkins and Theresa O’Hare.

Rollinger also reported expenditures of $16,441.22, which still leaves her with the most money to spend.

She has a good track record on raising funds. In her previous bid for a council seat in 2006, Rollinger reported raising $55,871, the second highest total in the campaign. In addition, Village Laguna, which has endorsed Rollinger in both campaigns, spent $4,924 for literature to support Rollinger and fellow candidate Iseman in 2006, but the organization has not filed a financial statement to date.

Kinsman reported 68 monetary donations, totaling $20,166.16 at the maximum $360.

Maximum donors included philanthropist Bobbi Cox, Hobie Sports owner Mark Christie, former Chamber of Commerce President David Sanford, Michael Meyer, Design Review Task Force Chairman Matt Lawson, landscape designer Steve Kawaratani and Spencer Recovery Center Inc. owner Chris Spencer.

Other contributors included the Log Cabin Republicans PAC, former Laguna Beach Senior Inc. President Pauline Walpin, Arts Commissioner Nancy Beverage, Planning Commissioner Rob Zur Schmiede, Save the Boom activist Fred Karger and South Coast Medical Center President Bruce Christian.

Kinsman reported expenditures of $13,028.83. Michael Kinsman, the candidate’s husband and business partner in an accounting firm, serves as her campaign treasurer.

Egly reported total contributions of $13,778 from 57 donors.

Among the 18 donors of the maximum $360: Iseman, the Women in Leadership PAC, Rollinger, Heisler Building owner Sam Goldstein, and Pam Goldstein, and Kay Becknell (“Beckie”) Jones.

She also received donations from many of the people who donated to Rollinger. Village Laguna endorsed both.

Egly has spent $8,332.04, leaving her with a bankroll of $5,455.96. Nancy Joseph is Egly’s campaign treasurer.