Election 2012: Candidates report campaign funds

Tuesday was the deadline for city office candidates to file financial reports, if they have raised at least $1,000 in cash or non-monetary donations between Jan. 1 and June 30.

City Councilwoman Verna Rollinger and Mayor Jane Egly, council candidate Robert Whalen and City Clerk candidate Lisette Chel met the deadline.

Rollinger, who started campaigning in late 2011, has raised the most money: $52,026, if non-monetary contributions, such as art for a silent auction are counted. She also has spent the most: $12,643, mostly on mailers and auction items.

Campaign Treasurer Meg Monahan, who served as deputy city under Rollinger, reported 96 contributions for Rollinger.

Egly’s committee collected $17,447 and spent $8,314 from 61 donations, according to Treasurer Nancy Joseph.

As of June 30, Whalen’s committee had collected $45,414 from 94 contributions, reported by campaign Treasurer Matt Lawson. Expenditures in the reporting period totaled $8,921.

Chel, who is running for the job to be vacated by retiring City Clerk Martha Anderson, raised $4,493 and spent $1,737.

Political Action Committees and other fundraising committees also are required to file financial reports.

Village Laguna, identified by Treasurer Richard Picheny as a General Purpose Committee, reported a beginning cash balance of $20,433. The committee paid $12,000 to Gene Bregman and Associates for a city survey.

Picheny is also the treasurer for Citizens for Preservation of Open Space, a Primarily Formed Ballot Measure Committee, which had $1,303 in the bank as of April 1 and $1,302 as of June 30.

The Laguna Beach Police Assn. raised $2,500 and spent $1,625, most of it paid to attorney Wayne Ordos, the association’s treasurer.

Candidates are to be interviewed and an endorsement, if any, is expected to be announced in early September, association President Larry Bammer said.

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Nominating papers

Egly and Rollinger and incumbent City Treasurer Laura Parisi have filed their nominating petitions and the signatures have been verified as registered voters by the County Registrar of Voters.

Kathryn Doe, Steven Dicterow, Eli Grossman, Ed Macias, Robert Ross and Robert Whalen have pulled nominating papers, but had not filed as of Wednesday. Aug. 10 is the deadline.

Candidates for City Clerk have extra time because incumbent Anderson is retiring.

To date, Chel is the only announced candidate for the office. Parisi also is unopposed at this time.

Applications for mail-in ballots are available in the city clerk’s office, but requests must be received no later than seven days prior to the election.

— Compiled by Barbara Diamond