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Yard signs are popping up throughout Menlo Park and candidate forums abound. It’s clear that election season is in full swing, and the latest campaign finance reports from City Council candidates bear this out.
In the first six months of 2018, only Councilwoman Kirsten Keith filed documents to disclose significant campaign fundraising. For the current filing period, all but one of the eight council candidates filed paperwork indicating they had raised more than $2,000 between July 1 and Sept. 22. Once a candidate raises $2,000, he or she is required to publicly file what is known as a Form 460 with the state that lists how much each donor has contributed.
According to council candidate documents showing campaign fundraising and spending between between July 1 and Sept. 22 — calculated in advance of the Sept. 27 filing deadline — the top fundraisers in each district during that period were Cecilia Taylor in District 1, with $3,296; in District 2, Drew Combs with $7,530 (not including personal loans); and in District 4, Betsy Nash with $3,600. Councilwoman Keith still tops the list for most funds raised overall, reporting a total of $24,560 raised this year. Below is a list of each district’s candidates and who their major donors were between July 1 and Sept. 22.
District 1
Cecilia Taylor
Taylor reported that she received $3,296 in campaign contributions between July 1 and Sept. 22, with $3,114 in monetary contributions and $182 in nonmonetary contributions, and spent $1,811.
Donations listed over $100 are: $500 from Carolyn Bowser, $400 from Howard “Sandy” Crittenden (former owner of the Guild Theatre), $250 from herself, $250 from former Mayor Kelly Fergusson, $250 from Karen Moore, $200 from former Mayor Steve Schmidt, $200 from Lenore Hennen, $200 from Susan Earhart, $200 from Julie Schatz and $150 from Nina Wouk.
Nonmonetary contributions included personal spending of $83 and a contribution of $99 from Hennen for labels, and food and supplies for a campaign party.
George Yang
Yang reported that he received $2,010 in campaign contributions between July and late September and spent $1,801. He reports he has raised a total of $3,080 since the start of the year, including $1,000 in personal loans.
Donations listed over $100 are: $1,000 from Evelyn Evens Yee Wan Li, $500 from Theresa Couture and $250 from Jesus Borrillo.
Mike Dunn
Dunn told The Almanac he does not intend to collect contributions for his campaign, let alone in excess of $2,000. “I don’t know why I would need to spend over $2,000,” he said.
District 2:
Drew Combs
Drew Combs reported that he received $11,530 in contributions to his campaign between July 1 and Sept. 22 and spent $3,673.
Combs said that he received $6,890 in monetary contributions, $4,000 in personal loans and $640 in nonmonetary contributions.
Donations listed over $100 are: $1,000 from Peter Carpenter, $500 from George Fisher, $250 from former Mayor Kelly Fergusson, $250 from Facebook Operations Manager Joseph Molimock, $250 from fellow Planning Commissioner Henry Riggs, $250 from fellow Planning Commissioner Katherine Strehl, $250 from Kristi Berg, $200 from former Mayor Steve Schmidt, $200 from former Planning Commissioner Stu Soffer, $200 from Alba Holgado, $200 from Martin Pearce, $200 from Jennifer Pien, $200 from Patrick Gardner, $150 from former Mayor Mickie Winkler, $150 from Shaun Maguire, $150 from Mahra Teikmanis, $150 from Mary Beth Richardson, $150 from Eric Seidel and $150 from Rosser Wilson.
In addition, Kristi Berg provided $490 in food, beverages and supplies for a kickoff party, and both Strehl and former Planning Commissioner Larry Kahle provided $50 in refreshments for meet-and-greet events.
Kirsten Keith
Kirsten Keith reported that she received $5,293 in contributions and spent $2,228 between July 1 and Sept. 22, and that she has received a total of $24,560 in contributions since the start of the year. Of the contributions raised since July 1, she reports receiving all but $74 in monetary contributions.
Donations listed over $100 are as follows: $950 from Core Affordable Housing, $950 from Anton Development Company, $500 from Greenheart Land Company, $500 from Tod Spieker Jr., $500 from Northern California Carpenters Regional Council Small Contributor Committee, $500 from Geoff Carr, $250 from Ben Paul and $150 from Marc Berman for Assembly 2018.
Nonmonetary contributions included $30 in food and snack supplies for a meet-and-greet event from Planning Commissioner Andrew Barnes.
District 4
Betsy Nash
Betsy Nash reported that she received $3,600 in contributions between July and late September, all monetary campaign contributions, and spent $2,159.
Donations listed over $100 are as follows: $500 from Betsy Nash for Council 2018, $250 from Peter Cohn, $250 from Sally Cole, $250 from James Dickerson, $250 from former Mayor Kelly Fergusson, $250 from George Fisher, $250 from Debra Littleton-Gerow, $200 from Julie and Thomas Gaston, $200 from Marie Jackson, $200 from former Mayor Steve Schmidt and $150 from Amy Klein.
Peter Ohtaki
Ohtaki reported that he received $2,105 in contributions between July 1 and Sept. 22, all in monetary donations, and spent $641.
Donations listed over $100 are: $950 from developer John Tarlton, $250 from himself, $250 from Planning Commissioner Henry Riggs, $250 from Patrick and Monica Corman, and $250 from former Environmental Quality Commissioner Allan Bedwell.
Ron Shepherd
Shepherd reported that he has received $6,000 in campaign contributions since the start of the year, with $1,000 in monetary donations and $5,000 in personal loans, and has spent $4,250.
Donations listed over $100 are: $250 from Sandy McNamara and $200 from Gloria Walker.
I find it very telling that Keith’s biggest contributors are developers. Is it safe to assume that Tod Speiker is the same Tod Speiker who founded “Windy Hill Property Ventures”? Another developer.
We really need a City Council that is focused on the residents and not the developers. a team that will fix the problems that we all experience such as traffic, congestion, safe routes to schools for the kids, etc. None of which the current city council is working to address.
Keith came by my house passing out flyers while on her cell phone, bumped into me at my house, seemed surprised I was home, and awkwardly told me that she would be having a question and answer session sometime. I had never seen or heard of her before today and felt somewhat cynical seeing this woman only when she’s up for re-election. She left too quickly for me to ask her any questions or to introduce myself. I too find it very telling that her biggest donors are developers. The same ones that built that monstrosity of a building that’s an eyesore at night. I’ll be voting for Drew Combs.
Technically, Brian is not correct. Keith has multiple contributors of $1,000 from local residents, while her developer contributions are all under $1000. Also, several of the developers contributing to Keith appear to be exclusively housing developers. More housing will make a positive impact on the jobs/housing imbalance that contributes to afternoon gridlock that Brian is concerned about.
Keith recently circulated a flyer indicating she wouldn’t support new commercial development unless a solution to first mitigate the traffic impact can be implemented. Based on what @facts just wrote, can it be assumed the housing already stated for development in the General Plan is what she will claim is the mitigation? That’s the problem, you have to decipher her spin to figure out her intention.
“the facts”,
In this article the biggest contributors are development companies of individuals that founded development companies. I do not see any individuals that are not related to developers who donated $1,000 or more. I even checked her reelection website and do not see any mention of contributors so I am not sure where you are getting your information, please share.
Let’s look at her history for the last 8 years, not what she writes in her campaign material. She has been a friend of big developers and has not been a friend of the residents of District 2. Traffic has gotten worse and worse and we get empty promises and nebulous “we will do another traffic study in 2 years”. It is time voters stand up and say we want a 2 term limit and we don’t want the same thing we have had for the last 8 years. Time to replace the current council with one that actually cares about residents and their issues.
I also just received a flier from Keith, but it reads, “reduce traffic congestion,” not “mitigate the traffic impact.” There is no way to spin the words on the flier I received. I hope @There_it_is will bring his flier to Cafe Zoe and confront Keith.