As was the case in 2007, the campaign committee supporting the 1 percent sales tax has been the most active fundraising organization in this election season.
Supporters of the Measure E sales tax extension had raised slightly more than $20,000 through the most recent fundraising period ending Sept. 30, according to the documents submitted before a 5 p.m. Friday deadline.
On the contrary, the opposition group – No on Measure E – had raised less than the $1,000 amount that requires reporting. Opponents, however, did submit campaign finance documents to the Hollister City Clerk’s Office shortly before Friday’s deadline showing they had raised about $500, according to campaign head Tod duBois.
Measure E, a five-year extension to the Measure T sales tax approved in 2007, is among the most prominent items locally on the Nov. 6 presidential ballot. It is joined by the race for mayor and two Hollister City Council seats, for which incumbents Victor Gomez and Ray Friend are running unopposed.
In that historic race for mayor – the first in which the entire city electorate gets to choose the leader as opposed to the current system involving council members arbitrarily rotating into the role – three of four candidates appear to be self-financing much of their campaigns.
Doug Emerson – a two-term Hollister councilman who is not also running for his District 4 seat – had the largest amount raised through the latest filing period with $7,660. Emerson self-financed $6,000 of that amount.
He was followed by newcomer Keith Snow – a retired construction foreman who took third of three candidates in the 2010 race for Los Banos mayor – with a total of $5,749, all self-financed.
Marty Richman – a retired engineering manager and military professional – had raised a total of $4,013, according to the Form 460s submitted for the period. Richman self-financed $3,350 of that amount.
Ignacio Velazquez – owner of The Vault restaurant and American Electrical Services – had raised $1,450 through the period. His largest contribution was for $500, from Hollister Collision Center.
While the race for mayor is a first, it has been the sales tax proposal garnering the most attention in the fundraising arena. Measure E would extend the tax and raise around $3.2 million annually toward a general fund budget totaling about $14 million.
Supporters argue it is necessary or else the city would be forced into laying off, over a three-year period, as many as 10 jobs in the police department and another seven in the fire department (along with three non-safety employees). Opponents have argued that the so-called “austerity plan” is a mere scare tactic and that the local economy would benefit from the lower sales tax, 7.25 percent compared with the current 8.25 percent.
Measure E opponent Tod duBois said tax supporters are following the same path as 2007, when voters approved Measure T with about two-thirds of the tally in favor. The reported donors supporting Measure E included the Hollister police union with $6,000 and the local chapter of the Service Employees International Union with $5,000.
“Large organizations put in about $5,000 and got roughly $150,000 in raises the next year,” duBois said regarding the city’s SEIU chapter.
DuBois said he had not expected to raise a lot of money for the No on E campaign – while individual donations under $100 do not require reporting.
“Most of the support we have is from the poor and working class and small business people,” he said. “That group is hurting now.”
On the other side, David Huboi, a local architect and Measure E supporter, said the yes side also had raised much of its money through fundraising dinners. Planning this time around has followed a similar approach to 2007.
“It’s just making sure the community is informed on all the issues and how important these issues are,” Huboi said.
As an environmental advocate, Huboi mentioned the potential impact on local parks with a Measure E rejection.
“We can’t do it with the austerity plan,” he said. “We have to be pragmatic in our approach.”
Pro-Measure E Treasurer Carol Lenoir, a retired planning employee, said this election’s fundraising had exceeded her expectations and she noted that the “yes” side raised about $30,000 in 2007. Aside from the two union donations, the other chunk of the $20,000 came from smaller individual donations collected at four fundraisers held by the committee.
AMOUNTS RAISED THROUGH SEPT. 30
Emerson: $7,660
Richman: $4,013
Snow: $5,749
Velazquez: $1,450
Pro-Measure E: $20,006
Anti-Measure E: Around $500
