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Lewis biggest spender by far in Atherton council race

by Barbara Wood

Atherton City Council candidate Elizabeth Lewis had spent at least twice as much as each of her three opponents had by Oct. 20, the end of the latest state-mandated campaign-spending reporting period, with expenditures to that date totaling $16,526.

Ms. Lewis, the only incumbent in the race for two open seats, and Cary Wiest also each had $3,884 spent on their behalf by the Atherton Police Officers Association Political Action Committee.

Spending totals for the other candidates' campaigns through Oct. 20 are: Cary Wiest, $7,423.45; Greg Conlon, $6,089.23; and Denise Kupperman, $2,958.47. The police officers' PAC spent its contributions for Ms. Lewis and Mr. Wiest on mailers, advertising and automated calls, according to the campaign-spending report it submitted.

Ms. Lewis' campaign spending was just slightly less than her to-date contributions of $16,571. Her major contributors during the reporting period of Oct. 1 to 20 include the following $500 donors: Florence Goldby, an investment banker at Venrock; Tod Spieker of Spieker Co. real estate; Charles T. Munger Jr., a self-employed physicist from Palo Alto; Jeffrey Wise, a developer with Wise Building Co.; and the Lincoln Club of Northern California in Sacramento. All but the Lincoln Club and Mr. Munger are from Atherton.

Payments made by the Lewis campaign included: $6,408 to Craftsmen Printing of San Jose, for campaign materials; $1,080 to the Daily Post for print advertising; $1,415 to the Almanac for print advertising; $1,540 to the US Post office for postage; and $716 to Wilmes Company, Inc of San Francisco for lawn signs.

Mr. Wiest's major contributors during the same reporting period included $1,000 contributors Peter Grassi, an investment manager with Grassi Investment Management LLC, and John Worthing, a partner in Worthing Capital. He also had $500 contributions from E. James Hannay, president of Rector Porsche Audi, and from Steven & Florence Goldby, a venture capitalist with Venrock. All are from Atherton.

Donations during the first three weeks of October to Mr. Wiest totaled $3,646; with earlier contributions and loans of $3,877, the Wiest campaign had raised $11,117 by Oct. 20.

A total of $1,645.35 was spent during the reporting period for signs, printing cards/handouts, and newspaper advertisements by Mr. Wiest.

Greg Conlon's campaign had raised $7,912.93 through Oct. 20, including $3,712.93 in loans.

Major contributions during the reporting period included $1,000 from David G. Arscott of Compass Technology Partners, from Atherton. Also, Mr. Conlon received $500 contributions from Boyd C. Smith, an investor with WSJ properties from Palo Alto; the Lincoln Club of Northern California PAC, Sacramento; Charles T. Munger Jr. of Palo Alto, a physicist; and Dennis O'Brien, Foster City, a homebuilder with the O'Brien Group.

Mr. Conlon also has loaned his campaign a total of $3,712.93.

His campaign has spent $959.10 at Degnan Printers of Redwood City on campaign paraphernalia; $3,720.57 at Spaulding Printers, Inc., Santa Rosa for literature and mailings; and $290 at Homeytel of San Diego, a phone bank.

Denise Kupperman's campaign had raised $3,750 during the first three weeks of October, for a total of $6,500, including $250 in loans. Major donors during the reporting period included $1,000 donor Paul Wythes, founder of Sutter Hill Ventures; and $500 contributors Marion Oster, homemaker, Daryl Lillie, retired, and Marylue Timpson, president of Timpson Enterprises. All are from Atherton.

Much of the money owed by the Kupperman campaign appears to be owed to her husband, Roger Schwab of Atherton. Those expenses, which had not been paid by Oct. 20, include $1,130.38 for postage, delivery and messenger services; $394.52 for a fundraising event and beverages; $140.05 for campaign paraphernalia and miscellaneous; and $198.24 for office expenses. The campaign also reported it had spent $857 for advertising in the Almanac.