Donation dollars vary widely among candidates
As the June election for three San Benito County board of
supervisor seats heats up, a look at their campaign donations
– which range from $54,000 to less than $1,000 – offers some
insight into what the candidates stand for.
Donation dollars vary widely among candidates
As the June election for three San Benito County board of supervisor seats heats up, a look at their campaign donations – which range from $54,000 to less than $1,000 – offers some insight into what the candidates stand for.
District 5 donations
Jaime De La Cruz, supervisor for District 5, raised and spent more money than any other candidate of the seven running in three districts.
His fundraising started early and since July 1, 2006, he has raised nearly $54,000.
“That’s a lot of money for a small scale race like that,” said Terry Christensen, a professor of political science at San Jose State University.
The city of Santa Clara has about 75,000 people, more than all of San Benito County.
“A council race [there] might cost $25,000,” Christensen said. “Sometimes incumbents raise a lot of money very early just to scare people off. I’d be scared.”
De La Cruz spent more than $44,000, including repayment of a $6,000 loan from Ignacio Velazquez, former owner of the Vault restaurant and a campaign manager for De La Cruz in the 2004 election.
The largest expenditure was $2,500 for campaign consultants at Paramount Communications in Salinas. He also spent about $2,300 on signs.
De La Cruz has spent money throughout his time in office.
In 2006, he spent $260 on Christmas cards sent to households in his district.
In 2007, he spent about $533 on birthday cards.
Marian Cruz is running against De La Cruz.
Since Jan 1, 2008, she raised more than $2,600. She spent more than $1,800.
“I don’t think in a district like District 5 where it’s working families,” Cruz said, “you can’t expect to raise a whole lot of money.”
She did not solicit donations. Friends and other supporters offered money.
“In the last couple of weeks, I raised enough to send out a mailer,” Cruz said. “I didn’t even think I’d be able to do that.”
But against an incumbent with money to spare, Cruz needs to raise money very quickly, Christensen said.
“She’s going to be able to communicate with many more voters many more times,” Christensen said.
Due to the high number of voters who use vote-by-mail ballots, the election really starts in May, Christensen said.
That makes it hard for the opponent to win, Christensen said. The incumbent’s name is already known,
“I predict the incumbent wins,” Christensen said.
While Cruz collected small amounts of money from friends, about 72 percent of De La Cruz’s donations were $100 or more.
Much of the money, 47 percent, came from development-oriented individuals or businesses, according to campaign finance documents filed with the county. Other donations also came from the businesses.
“As you know, my campaign is about economic development, and obviously it shows that a lot of the business community supports me,” De La Cruz said. “I’m proud that the business community is supporting me.”
He received many contributions from members of his district that were under $100, De La Cruz said. Smaller donations are not recorded with the elections office.
“I’m low income, and it’s very expensive to inform people about what the supervisors are doing,” De La Cruz said. “I do fundraising to support that.”
District 1 donations
Margie Barrios, a candidate for an open seat in District 1, has raised the second-most money.
She raised nearly $11,000, including a $1,500 loan to herself.
Of that, $5,900 came in amounts greater than $100.
Individual contributions made up 47 percent of her donations, many from those she has worked with in her capacity as a school board trustee with the Hollister School District.
Anita Franchi, an assistant superintendent of educational services for the Hollister School District and Ron Crates, the superintendent. County Sheriff Curtis Hill gave money.
Her opponent, Bonnie Flores-Voropaeff, donated $890 to her own campaign. She spent about $770 on candidate filing fees.
Flores-Voropaeff entered the race late. She had not collected any money as of the last deadline, she said.
Since the last filing deadline in March, Flores-Voropaeff has collected $2,200, she said.
Flores-Voropaeff is concentrating on her campaign rather than raising money, she said.
“It’s that important to me,” Flores-Voropaeff said.
Grant Brians, also running for District 1, did not reach the minimum amount that requires filing campaign-funding documents.
Brians has encouraged responsible use of limited government funds for 25 years, he said. He is trying to run a campaign that is in line with that vision.
“I am not trying to raise a whole lot of funds,” Brians said. “We have a community that is in a dire economic situation at the moment.”
He does not think that it is appropriate to ask people for money at this time.
“I’ve been doing lots and lots of door to door,” Brians said.
District 2 donations
Anthony Botelho, supervisor for District 2, had $10,199 at of the filing deadline. He loaned his campaign the money.
Botelho paid $2,000 to local campaign consultant Rick Rivas.
Botelho approached Rivas about a year ago.
“He felt that I was doing a pretty good job on the board of supervisors and felt that I deserved to hopefully stay on,” Botelho said, “and so he agreed to assist my campaign.”
Anthony Freitas, who ran in District 2 in 2004, is running against Botelho again. Freitas’ solitary contribution was from himself, $1,000.
He spent $850 on candidate filing fees and a voter registration list.
Christensen said he was surprised that Botelho has not raised more money. As an incumbent, Botelho should be able to raise money, Christensen said.
The lack of funding is not necessarily a signal that people do not think Botelho is going to win.
“He might not have gotten going yet,” Christensen said. “It’s hard to imagine an incumbent that can’t raise money if he wanted to, unless people are really mad at him.”
Since the last filing deadline in March, Botelho has raised $6,000. But Botelho has not been actively fundraising.
“I have a problem with asking people for contributions,” Botelho said, “in a period of economic times that are not only challenging for individuals but are challenging for businesses as well.”
He has received money from friends and other supporters of his campaign, Botelho said.
“I’m getting a lot of money from the unions,” Botelho said. “The local SEUI endorsed me.”
The South Bay Labor Council, a local chapter of the AFL-CIO, also endorsed Botelho.
The race in District 2 could be interesting, Christensen said.
“Incumbents mostly get reelected,” Christensen said, “and they mostly run unchallenged.”
People generally wait to run until a seat opens, Christensen said.
“It’s not as big a challenge as running against a candidate who may be entrenched,” Christensen said.
