|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Menlo Park City Council candidates’ spending is being dwarfed by proponents and opponents of Measure P, which reported spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in the final stretch of the campaign, according to the final finance reports before the Nov. 3 election.
Opponents of Measure P, which would require voter approval for significant alterations to eight city-owned downtown parking lots, are going into the campaign’s final stretch with a $120,000 cash advantage over Measure P’s backers.
Campaign finance data filed by Oct. 22 covers donations and expenditures up to Oct. 17.
Measure P
In the previous reporting period, which ran through Sept. 19, Yes on Measure P reported spending $98,700. That brings total expenditures for the pro-Measure P campaign to $203,400 dating back to the launch of Save Downtown Menlo’s campaign to get the measure on the ballot.
The No on Measure P campaign, coordinated by the nonprofit Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo’s political wing, Housing San Mateo, reported spending $75,600 during the same September through October period. For the entire election season so far, however, the anti-Measure P campaign is on par with Save Downtown Menlo, spending a total of $217,400.
The No on Measure P campaign is going into the final stretch with significantly more cash on hand, $179,066, compared to Save Downtown Menlo’s $59,000. Save Downtown Menlo also has two outstanding loans totaling $87,000: $48,000 from Measure P proponent and local business owner Alex Beltramo and $39,000 from Draeger’s Supermarket.
City Council District 1
Compared with the other Menlo Park City Council district campaigns, the District 1 race between James Rohr and Wonman Lee to replace Cecilia Taylor representing the Belle Haven and Bayfront neighborhoods, is shaping up to be relatively inexpensive.
Rohr is not fundraising at all and is not required to report campaign finances. Lee reported raising $7,200 and spending $7,600.
City Council District 2
In District 2 — which includes the Flood Park Triangle, Lorelei Manor, Suburban Park and the Willows — incumbent Drew Combs is facing Vamsi Velagapudi. Both sides reported receiving contributions or loans totalling around $18,000.
Over the whole campaign, Velagapudi spent $18,300 while Combs spent $13,000, according to the latest reports filed. Velagapudi loaned his campaign $4,000 and has paid all but $1,500 back. Combs loaned his campaign $7,000 but reported no payment to the loan.
District 4
The District 4 council race is shaping up to be more expensive than both other races. Charlotte Reed is running against Laura Melahn to represent the district, which includes Allied Arts, downtown Menlo Park and parts of central Menlo Park.
Reed reported raising a total of $24,700 compared to $25,800 for Melahn, which includes a loan to her own campaign of $4,300.
Melahn has made up significant ground since the last reporting period, ending Sept. 19. At that time, she reported contributions of $5,500 compared to Reed’s $16,822. In an Instagram post, Melahn said that less than 48 hours after The Almanac’s campaign finance story on Oct. 5, she received enough donations to close the gap.
In the final stretch of the campaign, as of Oct. 17, Melahn reported having significantly more cash on hand — $19,100, compared to Reed’s $6,700. Melahn reported spending $6,700 while Reed has spent $18,500.
Campaigns will not be required to file financial reports again until Feb. 1, 2027, which will cover activity from Oct. 18 to Dec. 31.
Most Popular
Menlo Park candidate pitches alternate housing plan, but the devil’s in the detailsOctober 29, 2026 10:42 am
