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Singer and communications professional Charlotte Reed is far outraising her opponent in the District 4 race — and all other Menlo Park City Council district candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot — in her bid to succeed Mayor Betsy Nash.
Reed received $16,950 in monetary and nonmonetary contributions during the reporting period ending Sept. 19. Her opponent, Laura Melahn, collected $5,560 in contributions and loaned her own campaign $4,280.
“Political fundraising is all about inviting people to be shareholders in a better future, and I’m deeply humbled by the neighbors who have invested in our movement,” Reed said in an email. “This record-breaking fundraising effort proves I am the only viable choice for Menlo Park City Council District 4.”
Melahn, a venture capitalist and member of Menlo Park’s Finance and Audit Commission, said she is proud that all but two of her campaign’s contributions came from Menlo Park residents. Of her 26 contributors, the only non-Menlo Park donations were $250 from former Menlo Park Councilmember Paul Collacchi, who now lives in Redwood City, and $94.25 from a friend, she said.
“I’m not running on the back of any political machine or interest group, and my donors show it. This is a Menlo Park campaign, funded a little at a time by the people who call it home,” Melahn said in an email.
A significant share of Reed’s funds came from Menlo Park residents. Of her 70 donations, 33 came from Menlo Park residents and totaled $12,600 of the $16,800 she reported receiving.
Reed’s largest contribution came from Menlo Park writer Anne-Marie Strohman, who gave $5,900 to her campaign.
Reed also received contributions from Menlo Park Planning Commissioners Katie Behroozi and Nancy Hedley, who gave $250 and $50, respectively, and Menlo Park Environmental Quality Commissioner John McKenna, who contributed $50.
Reed’s campaign received support from regional elected officials and public figures. Campbell Mayor Sergio Lopez contributed $100, San Mateo Planning Commissioner Seema Patel gave $100 and San Mateo County Community College District Trustee John Pimentel, who lives in Menlo Park, donated $250.
Melahn’s campaign received $700 from Marnie Foody and $250 from Paul Charrette, who founded the Downtown Menlo Fund with Melahn. She also received $250 from Realtor Mary Gilles and $250 from Dana Hendrickson, a contributing blogger for The Almanac.
Under California law, candidates are not required to provide details of contributors who provide less than $100 during a calendar year. Melahn, who received 12 contributions totalling $970 that were not required to be itemized, provided The Almanac with those donors and their city of residence.
Other candidates in the race are Vamsi Velagapudi, who raised $9,900 compared to incumbent Drew Combs’ $8,800 in the race for District 2 — which represents the Willows, Flood Triangle, Lorelei Manor and Suburban Park — and James Rohr, whose self-funded campaign has spent over $2,000 and Wonman Lee, who raised $3,500. Both men are running in District 1, which includes Menlo Park’s Belle Haven and Bayshore neighborhoods.
Candidates must file updated financial reports by Oct. 22 covering transactions from Sept. 20 through Oct. 17.
Series A for City Council
I always wondered what it would sound like if a pitch deck ran for office. Thanks to Charlotte Reed, I no longer have to wonder. She describes her campaign donors as “shareholders in a better future” who have “invested in our movement,” and her record-breaking round (the article doesn’t say which record, but I’m sure it’s a good one) proves she is “the only viable choice.”
I’m thrilled for her. I do have a few questions for the prospectus. What’s the dividend? When is the next earnings call? Is there a lock-up period on this better future, and who do I call if it ships late? What’s the burn rate on hope? Will there be a pivot if the better future doesn’t find product-market fit by November? Do early believers get a founder’s discount on city services, or at least a branded hoodie? I looked for the investor relations page and found only a campaign email, so I’ll assume the term sheet is still in stealth.
Sadly, I’m only a voter. I hold one ballot, no equity and no board seat, and I can’t even write a check large enough to change that. On Nov. 3, the biggest investor in this “round” and I get exactly the same stake, which is the one thing about it that I find reassuring.
So I’ll be skipping the next investor update and voting on the candidates themselves, as a shareholder in nothing but my own neighborhood.
Well said, Richard!
You hate that the “singer and communications professional” candidate sounds too much like a tech startup founder, so you have decided to vote for…the tech startup founder and AI venture capitalist? Am I getting that right?
So the alternative is to vote for the candidate that is a venture capitalist? How does that make sense?
It’s a HUGE red flag for me that so much of Reed’s money has come in from outside Menlo Park. It really says nothing good about the campaign and her focus on local issues.