City Council candidates tell campaign expenses
The top four contenders for two City Council seats in the November election spent a bit more than $120,000 to win the ballots of the 28,522 voting Yorba Lindans, according to state-required financial statements filed by a Jan. 31 deadline.
That’s about average for the past three election cycles, but below amounts spent in the 1990s and early 2000s, when deep-pocket developers filled the campaign treasuries of a few favored candidates who easily beat rivals in both fund-raising prowess and votes.
The 2010 dollars came from four sources: $61,598 in donations of $100 or more by 216contributors; $9,887 in contributions from individuals donating under $100 each; $6,755 worth of goods and services; and $43,659 in loans candidates made to their campaigns.
The biggest-spending candidate was fourth-place finisher Brenda McCune at $40,289. She loaned her campaign $28,000, raised $9,235 in donations of $100 or more from 30 contributors and took in $1,494 in less than $100 amounts.
McCune had a $2,438 cash balance and $3,998 in unpaid bills on Dec. 31, as well as the $28,000 balance on her self-made loan. Her expenses would have been more in line with other candidates if she hadn’t paid $10,052 to political consultant Dennis DeSnoo, who previously promoted developer Michael Dieden’s discarded 2005-06 Town Center plan.
Second in spending was first-place winner John Anderson at $31,456. He began 2010 with $6,633 cash and an outstanding $7,000 loan he made to his campaign. He raised $20,521 in donations of $100 or more from 78 contributors, $2,543 in less than $100 amounts and $2,600 in non-cash donations.
Anderson’s year-end balance was $976. He repaid himself $2,500 on his loan, leaving a $4,500 balance.
Third in spending was second-place winner Tom Lindsey at $25,282 only $1 less than the total he raised from $23,200 in donations of $100 or more from 73 contributors, $1,318 in less than $100 amounts and $765 in non-cash donations
Fourth in spending was third-place finisher Jan Horton at $23,867. She began 2010 with $1,534 cash and an outstanding $5,950 self-made loan. She loaned herself $5,200more, raised $8,642 in donations of $100 or more from 35 contributors and $4,532 in less than $100 amounts and $3,300 in non-cash donations.
Horton’s year-end balance was $77 and her outstanding $11,150 loan.
Fifth-place finisher Richard Wolfinger closed his account after modest expenditures for signs and advertising, and Tim McCune, who placed sixth, didn’t file a report, since his spending was under $1,000.
A cost-per-vote calculation reveals that McCune spent $6.75 for each of 5,969 votes; Jan Horton $2.76 for each of 8,659 votes; John Anderson $2.71 for each of 11,631 votes; and Tom Lindsey $2.46 for each of 10,266 votes.
However, if $22,770 the Yorba Linda Residents for Responsible Representation political action committee spent promoting Anderson and Lindsey and disparaging Horton is split between Anderson and Lindsey, their per-vote totals rise to $3.68 and $3.57, respectively.
Also, anonymous individuals under the name Yorba Linda Association Promoting Truth and High Ethical Standards didn’t file a report, but based on reasonable yet conservative estimates, spent about $1,500 on pro-Horton activities, raising her cost-per-vote to $2.93.
That’s about average for the past three election cycles, but below amounts spent in the 1990s and early 2000s, when deep-pocket developers filled the campaign treasuries of a few favored candidates who easily beat rivals in both fund-raising prowess and votes.
The 2010 dollars came from four sources: $61,598 in donations of $100 or more by 216contributors; $9,887 in contributions from individuals donating under $100 each; $6,755 worth of goods and services; and $43,659 in loans candidates made to their campaigns.
The biggest-spending candidate was fourth-place finisher Brenda McCune at $40,289. She loaned her campaign $28,000, raised $9,235 in donations of $100 or more from 30 contributors and took in $1,494 in less than $100 amounts.
McCune had a $2,438 cash balance and $3,998 in unpaid bills on Dec. 31, as well as the $28,000 balance on her self-made loan. Her expenses would have been more in line with other candidates if she hadn’t paid $10,052 to political consultant Dennis DeSnoo, who previously promoted developer Michael Dieden’s discarded 2005-06 Town Center plan.
Second in spending was first-place winner John Anderson at $31,456. He began 2010 with $6,633 cash and an outstanding $7,000 loan he made to his campaign. He raised $20,521 in donations of $100 or more from 78 contributors, $2,543 in less than $100 amounts and $2,600 in non-cash donations.
Anderson’s year-end balance was $976. He repaid himself $2,500 on his loan, leaving a $4,500 balance.
Third in spending was second-place winner Tom Lindsey at $25,282 only $1 less than the total he raised from $23,200 in donations of $100 or more from 73 contributors, $1,318 in less than $100 amounts and $765 in non-cash donations
Fourth in spending was third-place finisher Jan Horton at $23,867. She began 2010 with $1,534 cash and an outstanding $5,950 self-made loan. She loaned herself $5,200more, raised $8,642 in donations of $100 or more from 35 contributors and $4,532 in less than $100 amounts and $3,300 in non-cash donations.
Horton’s year-end balance was $77 and her outstanding $11,150 loan.
Fifth-place finisher Richard Wolfinger closed his account after modest expenditures for signs and advertising, and Tim McCune, who placed sixth, didn’t file a report, since his spending was under $1,000.
A cost-per-vote calculation reveals that McCune spent $6.75 for each of 5,969 votes; Jan Horton $2.76 for each of 8,659 votes; John Anderson $2.71 for each of 11,631 votes; and Tom Lindsey $2.46 for each of 10,266 votes.
However, if $22,770 the Yorba Linda Residents for Responsible Representation political action committee spent promoting Anderson and Lindsey and disparaging Horton is split between Anderson and Lindsey, their per-vote totals rise to $3.68 and $3.57, respectively.
Also, anonymous individuals under the name Yorba Linda Association Promoting Truth and High Ethical Standards didn’t file a report, but based on reasonable yet conservative estimates, spent about $1,500 on pro-Horton activities, raising her cost-per-vote to $2.93.
posted by Jim Drummond at 12:00 PM
<< Home