Campaign financial disclosure records for San Benito County Supervisor candidates show differing styles of fundraising in the two races where no incumbent will be on the ballot.
In the race for District 2 Supervisor, journalist Kollin Kosmicki is running against Aromas Water District Director Wayne Norton. The seat is currently occupied by Anthony Botelho, who is not running for re-election.
In District 4, five candidates are vying to complete the term left vacant by the resignation earlier this year of Supervisor Jim Gillio. The winner will complete the final two years of Gillio’s four-year term. Running are business owner Bob Tiffany, farmer and planning commissioner Robert Gibson, retired construction foreman Keith Snow, business owner Mike Mansmith and business owner Dan Valcazar.
Both races will appear on the Nov. 3 election ballot, along with contests for City of Hollister council and mayor’s seats, San Juan Bautista city council, local school districts and a host of regional and national races—including, of course, President.
Candidates for county supervisor who have been raising funds for their campaigns filed the latest financial disclosures in late July and early August. Some “late contribution reports” were filed in early September.
The next filing deadline for all candidates to report fundraising and campaign expense details is Sept. 24.
In District 2, filings show that Kosmicki has collected mostly small contributions from individual contributors and local companies (along with some loans from his own pocket), while Norton has received larger disbursements from unions, real estate professionals and individuals.
As of the August filing, Norton has raised a total of $27,125.32 for his campaign, according to the forms filed with the San Benito County Registrar of Voters Office. Kosmicki has raised $5,524 so far this year—including $2,200 in loans, according to the filings.
In the Fair Political Practices Commission filings, candidates are required to list individual campaign contributions of $100 or more. Of the contributions listed by Kosmicki, none were for more than $250.
Listed donors who have contributed $250 to Kosmicki’s campaign include: Hollister Mayor Ignacio Velazquez, Gary Swanson, Hollister Collision Center, Independent Recycling, West Gateway Inc., Greg Scattini, Michael Ostrowski, Brenda Scattini, West Coast Rubber Recycling, San Benito Realty, Catherine Scattini and Vince Pryor.
Some of these contributions were listed in forms filed by Kosmicki’s campaign in 2019, shortly after he formally organized his candidacy.
Norton’s campaign financial filings show he has received many larger contributions, including $1,000 from Larry Willis, IBEW #332 and Operating Engineers Local 3. Other contributors to Norton’s campaign include: Christine Coke ($500), Jean Zlotkin ($500), Santa Clara & San Benito Building & Construction Trades ($500), Pat Lerman ($500), Richland Real Estate Fund LLC ($500), William Strohmeyer ($600), Ronald M. Tate ($600), Lance Tate ($600) and Jennifer Drysdale ($600).
Norton’s listed contributions also include nearly $8,000 worth of in-kind contributions from SEIU 521, in the form of printed campaign materials.
Norton’s August filings list about 30 individual campaign contributors so far in 2020.
Both Kosmicki and Norton are former editors of the Hollister Free Lance.
In the supervisorial District 4 race, only two candidates—Tiffany and Valcazar—have filed detailed financial disclosure forms so far this year. Mansmith’s forms indicate a $2,000 expenditure or contribution to his campaign, but does not offer more details.
Snow and Gibson have not filed the latest periodic disclosure form—known as the Form 460. Candidates who have not conducted significant fundraising activity are not required to file a 460.
Tiffany’s disclosure forms show he has raised about $10,500 so far for his campaign, including $1,000 from the candidate himself. Individual listed contributions include $5,000 from Ted Davis, $2,000 from R.A. Pelland, $1,500 from William Tiffany and $1,000 from Emergency Vehicle Specialists, Inc.
Valcazar’s forms list $20,000 worth of campaign loans from four different sources: Art Chatoff, Fernando Jimenez, Glenn Gilliam and Yazdani Design & Photography. Each source lent $5,000 to the Valcazar campaign.
Supervisor District 2 encompasses the northwest corner of the county. District 4 includes the vast southern region of the county. For more information about San Benito County’s five supervisorial districts—including how to determine which district you live in—visit https://www.cosb.us/government/county-of-san-benito-board-of-supervisors-bos.
The campaign financial disclosure forms, candidate statement and other forms can be found at the county registrar of voters’ website at http://sbcvote.us/registrar-of-voters/.
SAN BENITO COUNTY SUPERVISOR CANDIDATES
District 2: Kollin Kosmicki; Wayne Norton
District 4 (two-year term): Bob Tiffany, Robert Gibson, Keith Snow, Mike Mansmith, Dan Valcazar
