|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
With just a month until Election Day, proponents and opponents of ballot measures and candidates running in Midpeninsula races have filed campaign finance reports.
The most recent filings were due on Sept. 29 for a period that covers July 1 through Sept. 24, with disclosure documents showing massive spending to defeat Measure V.
Measure V
The Menlo Park Neighbors for Affordable Homes (MPNAH) campaign has outraised most of the local races in the Midpeninsula for the No on V effort.
The No on V campaign has raised over $330,000 through the latest filing period. Several contributions from individuals topped $10,000, including local activist Karen Grove ($50,000), John A. Sobrato ($50,000), founder of the Sobrato Organization, John M. Sobrato ($50,000), Bob McGrew ($25,000), a research manager at OpenAI, and Cary Preston Butcher ($25,000), a chairman with Legacy Partners Real Estate Firm. Council member Jen Wolosin also made a contribution of $100 to the campaign.
Organizations that donated include the Housing Leadership Council ($43,000), the Grove Action Fund ($20,000), Presidio Bay Ventures ($5,000).
The campaign has made over $141,000 in total payments so far, and the majority went to Cleansweep Campaigns, a full-service democratic consulting firm based out of San Francisco. The No on V campaign has paid over $103,000 to Cleansweep Campaigns.
Menlo Balance, the Yes on V campaign has raised $67,815 for its campaign, and all contributions come from individuals. Several people made donations of at least $1,000, including Annie Hengehold ($6,000), Kelly Blythe ($4,000), Jill Olson ($2,000), Ronald Matsui ($2,000), Melani Chandler ($1,250), Roma Wagner ($1,000), John Reiter ($1,000), John O’Neel ($1,000), Mary Pimentel ($1,000), Victoria Kelly ($1,000), Ross Hove ($1,000), Sandeep Gupta ($1,000), Mary Gilles ($1,000) and Curtis Evans ($1,000).
Christine Griffith, a resident of Reno, Nevada, contributed $6,000 to the Yes on V campaign and Annabel Chang, head of state policy and government affairs at Waymo donated $750.
Yes on V has spent over $49,000 since the start the start of the election season. Of that, nearly $28,000 went to a Sacramento consulting firm. There was also a payment of over $7,000 to co-founder Nicole Chessari for campaign paraphernalia and miscellaneous items.
Ravenswood City School District
Four, President Mele Latu, Vice President Tamara Sobomehin, former candidate and teacher Laura Nuñez and newcomer Manuel R. López, an aerospace engineer, are seeking office on Nov. 8. Latu, Sobomehin and Nuñez have formed a slate called “Ready Set Ravenswood” to combine their diverse experience.
The trio’s committee raised over $9,600 during the period, according to a Sept. 29 campaign finance filing. They spent about the same amount of money.
The three loaned the campaign $1,550, while Menlo Park homemaker and board chair of the Ravenswood Education Foundation Carolyn Bowsher loaned the campaign a little under $8,000.
Candidate Manuel R. López has raised or spent less than $2,000 during the period, which excuses him from filing a campaign finance report.
Atherton City Council
Mayor Rick DeGolia, Vice Mayor Bill Widmer, Stacy Miles Holland, who is chair of the Environmental Programs Committee and former candidate Greg Conlon are seeking three open seats on the Atherton City Council.
DeGolia raised about $2,300 and spent about $600, according to his Sept. 22 filing.
Atherton residents Harvey Hinman and Elizabeth Tyree-Taylor each gave $500. Bob and Marion Oster, president of the Atherton Heritage Association, gave $250. Residents Robert Roeser and Jim Massey each contributed $200.
DeGolia paid himself $192 to cover past costs for email marketing services. He paid $400 for his candidate filing statement.
Stacy Miles Holland raised about $4,400 and spent about $2,300, according to her Sept. 29 filing, and loaned herself $844. Council member Diana Hawkins-Manuelian contributed $100.
She received seven other contributions. Her biggest donation came from resident and Apple executive Blake Holland ($1,030) and Atherton attorney Scott Dettmer ($1,000).
She spent most of her funds, $771, on lawn signs.
Bill Widmer raised about $4,700 on his reelection campaign and spent about $660, according to his campaign filing.
Widmer received 12 donations, including $100 from Marion Oster. His largest contributor was Mark Dubovoy, an Atherton executive, who gave $500.
He spent a little over $300 on campaign literature and mailings. He also spent about $190 on unitemized items under $100.
Greg Conlon did not raise and spend more than $2,000, according to a Sept. 22 election filing, which excuses him from filing a campaign finance report.
Portola Valley Town Council
Five candidates — Mayor Craig Hughes, Planning Commission members Judith Hasko and Craig Taylor, former candidate Mary Hufty and Emergency Preparedness Committee Chair Dale Pfau — are seeking three seats on the Portola Valley Town Council. The top fundraiser was Pfau.
Judith Hasko raised about $3,200 and spent about $2,400, according to a Sept. 30 filing. Residents Gerald and Anne Kohs gave $500; Betsy Morgenthaler gave $400; Ron Eastman and Michael Miller gave $250; Janet and Stan Smith gave $100; and Judy Murphy gave $100. Hasko and her husband, Phil Reilly, loaned the campaign about $1,800.
She spent the money on yard signs, buttons and a logo.
Mary Hufty raised $2,250 and she spent around $1,400 during the period, according to a Sept. 29 filing.
Hufty loaned herself $1,500, and she received contributions from Gerald and Anne Kohs ($500), Kevin Arnold ($150) and Carolyn Vertingen ($100).
She spent money on campaign paraphernalia developed through PIP Palo Alto, which does marketing, creates signs and printing.
Craig Hughes raised $1,250 and spent $893, according to his Sept. 29 filing.
Hughes loaned his campaign $500. Portola Valley Vice Mayor Sarah Wernikoff contributed $500. Resident Jon Silver and John White, a Stanford University student, each gave $100. Former Portola Valley Elementary School District governing board member Jeff Klugman gave $50.
Hughes spent the majority of his funds on campaign literature and mailings. He spent about $95 on a notary service fee, a fee to Stripe for processing payments and a donation of 1% of his campaign contributions to a climate fund.
Dale Pfau raised nearly $11,000 and spent about $5,300, according to his Sept. 29 filing.
Pfau loaned his own campaign about $3,000. Portola Valley Emergency Preparedness Committee member Rob Younge gave him $4,900, residents Greg Munks and John Wookey each contributed $500 and resident Dorian McElevy gave $350. Rusty Day, a candidate for the Woodside Fire Protection District board, and resident Caroline Vertongen each gave $250. Petaluma City Council member Mike Healy and resident Bob Turcott each gave $200. Residents Stan Smith and Susan Adams each gave $100.
Pfau spent funds on his website, a county voter list, print ads, a mailing service and design work.
Craig Taylor raised $1,400 and spent $421 on campaign paraphernalia, according to his Sept. 29 campaign filing.
Resident Michael Katz gave $1,000. Elizabeth Morgenthaler, a community volunteer, gave Taylor $400.
Woodside Town Council: District 2
In the race for the open seat for Woodside Town Council’s District 2, Council member Dombkowski was the only candidate to raise and spend more than $2,000, according to election filings.
Dombkowski loaned himself $4,900 during the period. He spent $3,644 on campaign yard signs and banners, according to campaign disclosures for the period starting Aug. 10 to Sept. 25.
Candidates Elizabeth Kaske, a parent and business executive, and Steve Lubin, an architect and former Planning Commissioner, both filed documents on Sept. 28 attesting that they have raised or spent less than $2,000 during the period. This excuses them from filing campaign finance reports.
Lubin voluntarily told The Almanac that he has spent $590 on the campaign. Expenditures include: fees to the county election office for the voter list, fees for website hosting, payment to the San County Democratic Committee for inclusion in slate publication and materials for yard signs.
Woodside Fire Protection District
Two are seeking one seat on the Woodside Fire Protection District Board of Directors.
Matt Miller has raised $2,500, all of which he donated to his own campaign. He’s spent about $500 on his campaign, all of which were unitemized payments under $100, so Miller isn’t required to report the individual expenditures.
Lloyd ‘Rusty’ Day has raised $500, all of which he donated to his own campaign. He’s spent $50 on his candidate registration fee with the California Secretary of State.
Menlo Park City Council: District 4
Two candidates are fighting to represent Menlo Park’s District 4.
Betsy Nash has raised $3,600 for her campaign so far. Donations come from a variety of residents, including her fellow City Council member Jen Wolosin ($100), Katie Behroozi, member of the Complete Streets Commission ($100), Kelly Fergusson, clean energy executive at ENGIE ($250), Steve Schmidt ($200), Debra Littleton-Gerow ($250), Marie Jackson ($200), Julie and Thomas Gaston ($200), George Fisher ($250) and James Dickerson ($250).
She also received $500 from Betsy Nash for City Council.
Nash’s campaign has spent over $2,100, including $450 to the San Mateo County Democratic Party for the Democratic Party slate card and $125 to San Mateo County Elections for county voter data.
Peter Ohtaki has raised over $3,000 from only four donors and himself. Contributors include Ohtaki ($1,000), Mary Gilles ($1,000), Howard Crittenden ($500), Bruce Ochieano ($300) and Henry Riggs ($250).
Ohtaki’s campaign has accrued nearly $3,000 in expenses, mostly for campaign promotional material.
