San Benito County board candidates raise more money
As the June 3 election for three San Benito County supervisorial
seats approaches, campaign contributions continue to roll in.
San Benito County board candidates raise more money
As the June 3 election for three San Benito County supervisorial seats approaches, campaign contributions continue to roll in.
District 5 Donations
Jaime De La Cruz, supervisor for District 5, raised more than any other candidate of the seven running in three districts.
Since July 2006, De La Cruz raised nearly $68,000.
In the last filing period, which ran from March 18 through May 17, he raised nearly $12,900.
“I did have a fundraiser back in April,” De La Cruz said, “So a lot of those funds came from the fundraiser that I had.”
His contributions were from a variety of interests.
Agricultural interests made up a third of his donations while labor unions contributed a quarter of the money.
“The union felt very strongly about economic development in the community,” De La Cruz said, “which I have been beating the drum about forever and ever.”
More than a third also came from construction and development, and business interests.
Money from individuals made up 6 percent of his donations.
De La Cruz spent nearly $11,800 in the last filing period.
He spent nearly $4,000 with Paramount Communications of Salinas for campaign literature and other costs.
De La Cruz started fundraising in 2006 and spent money throughout his time in office.
Between July 2006 and March 16, he raised nearly $54,000 and spent more than $44,000.
Running against De La Cruz is Marian Cruz.
Since March 18, she raised nearly $3,200.
More than half of her donations were unitemized contributions of less than $100.
Of her itemized contributions, more than half came from individuals. The donations ranged from $100 to $200.
Her largest contribution was $500 from Josh Jensen, owner of Calera Wine Company in San Benito County.
Cruz also received $200 from Anthony and Rebecca Campos, owners of Campos Realty in Watsonville. Anthony is a supervisor for Santa Cruz County.
Fred Goodrich, former assistant planner for San Benito County, gave $125 in two separate donations.
Cruz spent a little more than $2,900.
Her largest expenditure was $1,500 for campaign literature. She also spent $1,000 for airtime on Clear Channel.
District 1 donations
Margie Barrios, a candidate for an open District 1 seat, raised more money than her two opponents.
Between Jan. 1 and May 18, she raised $21,500.
In the last filing period, Barrios raised about $10,500.
About 44 percent came from construction, development and business-related interests.
More than a third came from unions.
“I am being endorsed by the South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council,” Barrios said. “Because they’ve endorsed me, I’ve gotten checks from a lot of those organizations.”
Six percent came from individuals.
“People in the community who know me and trust me have sent me money as well,” Barrios said. “I am really quite pleased that I am being supported.”
Barrios spent more than $9,100 in the last filing period.
She spent $2,500 on signs and mailers. She also spent $1,000 for local campaign consultant Rick Rivas.
“I needed help, so he is doing a lot of the groundwork that I didn’t have time for,” Barrios said, referring to Rivas.
One of her opponents, Grant Brians, did not meet the minimum contribution limit for filing. Brians barely made the minimum expenditure limit for filing, he said.
“All of my contributions have been $99 or less, up to this point,” Brians said. “I should say I am running a very, very low cost campaign intentionally.”
Brians’ contributions, about $500, have come from individuals, he said.
Despite the difference in campaign contributions between Brians and his opponents, he is a viable candidate, Brians said.
“That is what I am being told by voters as well,” Brians said. “That is not just my position.”
Brians spent about $1,300 for filing fees, signs and printing, he said.
“The reaction that I’ve gotten from many, many people is that they are bothered by the amount of money being spent by some of the candidates,” Brians said.
Opponent Bonnie Flores-Voropaeff raised $4,545, including a $2,500 loan from herself to her campaign.
During the last filing cycle, she donated $890 to her own campaign.
Her largest contributor was $1,000 from Victor Voropaeff, her father-in-law.
She also received $100 from the Sheet Metal Workers Local 104.
“I have actually spent my time walking and talking to people more than the fundraising, and I have people who are going to be supporting me,” Flores-Voropaeff. “I would hope that the voters would look at everyone’s literature and what they are saying and make the right decision.”
Flores-Voropaeff spent $3,900 for a mailer from DL&G Printing, a business she owns. She also spent $226 at McKinnon Lumber on posts for campaign signs.
District 2 donations
Anthony Botelho, supervisor for District 2, raised more than $22,000 between Jan. 1 and May 17. Of that, nearly half was a loan from himself to his campaign.
In the most recent reporting period, labor unions, business interests and individuals contributed nearly equal amounts to his campaign with nearly a quarter each.
He has worked hard to appeal to a cross-section of voters, Botelho said. His contributions prove that he has won that support, he said.
His largest expenditure was more than $6,320 for campaign literature. He also spent $5,500 on campaign consulting costs.
“I’m not a career politician,” Botehlo said.
To reach voters, it is important that campaign literature be straightforward and easy to understand, Botelho said. That is what campaign consultants helped him do, Botelho said.
Anthony Freitas, who ran in District 2 in 2004, is running against Botelho again.
Between Jan. 1 and May 17, Freitas raised nearly $14,000, including a $1,000 loan from himself to his campaign.
Of that, $3,600 was in itemized contributions of $100 or more.
His largest contribution was $1,000 from the Operating Engineers’ Union, Local 3. Construction and business interests gave 29 percent. Agricultural interests gave 19 percent, while individuals gave 13 percent.
Freitas spent nearly $11,200.
His largest expenditures were for campaign consultants at the ERW Group in Sacramento. He paid $9,230 for campaign consulting costs, literature and polling and research.
