COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL REPOSTED WITH PERMISSION FROM INFACT DAILY
InFact Daily
April 11, 2008
By Mark Richardson
Shade, Leffingwell big winners in fundraising saga
One month before the May 10 City Council election, some candidates are
well-funded for the home stretch‹including Randi Shade, who is challenging
incumbent Jennifer Kim. Shade has more than $103,000 in cash to make it to
the finish line, while Kim reports $74,000 cash on hand. On Thursday, both
were among the candidates filing their reports 30 days prior to the
election.
The net amount of contributions is up considerably over the 2006 election,
due mainly to an increase in the allowable donation from $100 to $300 per
person. The reports filed yesterday are for the period Jan. 1-March 31.
Shade¹s campaign has collected $158,000 in donations since last fall, and
has spent about $63,000 so far. Shade¹s campaign put out a release Thursday
listing more than 40 high-profile contributors. Her major expenses include
$8,500 to American Campaign Signs and Graphics, $9,500 to Mark Nathan at
Austin Strategies, $6,000 to Stanford Campaigns, and $12,000 to Susan Harry
Consulting.
In the Place 1 race, Lee Leffingwell carries the largest war chest into the
final month, with a little over $110,000 left. Leffingwell has raised a
total of $168,374 during the campaign and has only spent $55,385. Most of
his expenditures went to consultants Mark Nathan at Austin Strategies and
$17,500, and fundraiser Susan Harry for $9.000.
Other Place 1 candidates include Jason Meeker and Alan Demling. Meeker
reports contributions of $8,480, and expenditures of $4,434, leaving him
with just over $4,000 cash. The bulk of his expenditures were mostly
campaign printing and mailing. Demling reports contributions of $460,
expenses of $1,600 and loans to himself for about $1,200. Most of his
expenditures were for a web site and yard signs.
Kim¹s campaign has collected almost $141,000 since the campaign began,
spending about $69,000 through Thursday. Major expenses include $7,500 to
her campaign manager, Paige Hill, $16,000 to Ignite Consulting, $7,500 for
Opinion Analysts, and $7,100 to Southwest Opinion for opposition research.
Also a candidate for Place 3, Ken Weiss raised $290 in political
contribution, and has loaned himself $600. He has $188 on hand, and has
spent $639, mostly on a web site and campaign flyers.
In Place 4, Cid Galindo leads the pack in contributions and spending. The
former Planning Commission member has taken in almost $90,000, with
expenditures of about $70,000 and $26,000 cash on hand. Galindo has made a
$10,000 loan to his campaign. Major expenditures include more than $27,000
to Fero Hewitt Global Consultants‹but $15,000 of that was for TV
advertising, which Hewitt purchased for Galindo. Kelly Vidovic received
$10,500 and Rachel Fletcher received $4,400.
Kelly Fero, one of the principals at Fero Hewitt Global, told In Fact Daily
Thursday that he was no longer working for the Galindo campaign. "We agreed
to part so that he wouldn't have to answer for any fallout from the Keel
controversy," he said. "Our work was done anyway. Gave him a good message
and a good TV spot.." Fero was involved in a campaign incident as a
consultant for Rosemary Lehmberg during the District Attorney's race. Fero
wrote an anonymous blog linking Terry Keel to Mindy Montford's campaign, and
the Lehmberg campaign used the material without identifying Fero as the
author. Keel has asked Travis County authorities to begin criminal
proceedings against Fero in the matter.
Former Austin Neighborhoods Council President Laura Morrison has raised
about $79,000 plus a loan from herself for $40,000. She has $28,000 in cash,
and has spend about $52,000. Her major expenditures include $4,200 to Matt
Glazer, more than $8,000 to Ignite Consulting, and $4,000 to Jean Stephens.
Robin Cravey has raised some $35,000, and loaned himself $2,000. He has
about $1,500 left on hand, and has spent about $34,000. Major expenses
include $4,000 to Stanley Garrett and Associates, and more than $5,000 to
Emma Cravey, his campaign manager.
Other Place 4 candidates include Jennifer Gale and Kenneth Vasseau. Gale
reported contributions of $48, a loan for $500 and expenditures of $500,
with $59 cash on hand. Vasseau reports contributions of $10, and
expenditures of $1,100, with no explanation for the discrepancy.