Three months before the November election, City Councilman Laurie Capitelli has amassed the largest campaign war chest in Berkeley, with $13,015 in donations from a variety of people, including his fellow realtors and politicians.
Mayor Tom Bates, who is running for his fourth term, came in next, with $11,770 in donations, according to campaign expenditure reports that were filed on July 31.
But the various city-wide measures that were so contentious when aired before the City Council have not yet garnered any substantial funds, according to the records. No money has been raised for the civil sidewalks initiative, which would ban people from sitting in commercial districts from 7 am to 10 pm. Those in favor or against new zoning for West Berkeley have not yet even formed committees. Neither have those supporting a new redistricting plan.
The Committee for the Berkeley Sunshine Ordinance raised $4,153 from April 1 to June 30, bringing its donation level to $5,958, with the bulk of that coming from the group’s treasurer, Dean Metzger. He donated $4,618 to the campaign, including a $1,000 loan.
Berkeley Pools for All, the group promoting a $19.4 million bond measure to restore Willard Pool and build a new warm pool, has raised $250, according to campaign documents.
The city’s incumbents have easily out raised their challengers.
Capitelli’s $13,015 in contributions came from many people, including Michael Korman, the commercial real estate broker, who gave $250, Jim Novosel, an architect and planning commissioner, who also gave $250, former Berkeley Unified School District Superintendent Michele Lawrence, who gave $150, and City Councilman Gordon Wozniak, who gave $250. Capitelli, who is a partner at Red Oak Realty, also got funds from Tom Bates, former District 7 candidate George Beier, CityCentric founder Ali Kashani and Helen Meyer, the head of Meyer Sound.
Sophie Hahn, a ZAB commissioner who lost the District Five race to Capitelli in 2008 by 402 votes, has raised $5,320 with $1,000 of that coming from a personal loan. Some of her contributors include Carole Kennerly, a former City Council member who is serving as treasurer for Max Anderson’s reelection campaign. She gave $250 as did James Fousekis, a member of Berkeley Budget SOS, a group that thinks the council has not paid adequate attention to looming pension payouts.
City Councilman Darryl Moore, who is facing three challengers, has raised $3,450 for his bid for a third term serving District Two. He received donations from Weldon Rucker, former Berkeley city manager, Linda Schacht Gage, a UC Journalism professor leading the capital campaign for the branch libraries, Douglas Smith, the deputy director of the library, Darrell de Tienne, a developer, and boona cheema [sic], the executive director of BOSS, or Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency.
None of the challengers for Moore’s seat – Adolfo Cabral, Denisha DeLane and David Tursi — has filed a campaign expenditure report, which means they have not raised any funds yet.
City Councilman Max Anderson has raised $4,100, with $2,000 of that coming in loans from himself. His contributors include Dr Gabriela Costello-Kramer, Ali Kashani, Anne de Leon, the former owner of Anna’s Jazz Island, and Carole Kennerly, Berkeley’s former Vice Mayor.
Anderson’s sole opponent, Dmitri Belser, the executive director for the Center for Accessible Technology, has not yet raised any money, according to city records.
City Councilwoman Susan Wengraf raised $250 from a single donation from realtor Michael Korman. Fred Dodsworth, who is challenging her District Six seat, did not file papers yet.
The mayoral race is also lopsided. Bates has raised $11,770 from a long list of contributors, including former Assemblywoman Dion Aroner, who gave $250, Judith Iglehart, his chief of staff, who gave $250, and Igor Tregub, a rent board commissioner, who donated $250.
Others who gave $250 include City Councilman Gordon Wozniak, Michael Smart, Bates’ treasurer, Richard Nagler, the owner of Skylight and Sun, Inc., Weldon Rucker, Will Travis, a senior adviser to the Bay Area Joint Policy Committee, Michael Peevey, the president of the California Public Utilities Commission, the Electrical Workers Union Local 595 PAC, the Teamsters 853 PAC, Capitelli and City Councilwoman Linda Maio, among others.
City Councilman Kriss Worthington, who only declared his candidacy for mayor about a week ago, has raised $330. Jacquelyn McCormick has raised $1,300. Three other challengers, Erik Clyman, Kahlil Jacobs-Fantauzzi, and Bernt Wahl, have not raised any funds. Mark Schwartz has raised about $83, according to reports. Zachary Running Wolf did not file any papers. Mary Rose Kaczorowski, who took out nomination papers, apparently is not running, according to the City Clerk’s office.
In the race for the school board, Judith Appel, the executive director of Our Family Coalition, has raised the most — $7,287. Tracy Hollander has received $1,470 in donations and Beatriz Leyva-Cutler, currently the president of the BUSD board, has gotten $375. Norma Harrison did not file any documentation yet.
There are four seats up for grabs on the Rent Stabilization Board, but none of the seven candidates who filed papers reported any donations. They include Igor Tregub, Judy Hunt, Jay James, John Nguyen, Judy Shelton, Kiran Shenoy, and Alejandro Soto-Vigil.
Other Rent Board candidates include Asa Dodsworth, Audra Caravas, Nicole Drake, and Patti Dacey. They did not file papers, according to Berkeley’s election website.
Related campaign web sites (note: not all candidates have one):
For Mayor:
Tom Bates
Jacqueline McCormick
Zachary Running Wolf
Erik Clyman
Khalil Jacobs-Fantauzzi
For District 2:
Darryl Moore
Adolfo Cabral
Denisha DeLane
District 5:
School Board:
Judy Appel
Norma Harrison
Tracy Hollander
Rent Board:
Related:
Beat poet joins crowded field for mayoral race (07.19.12)
Max Anderson kicks off council re-election campaign (07.02.12)
Jacquelyn McCormick vows to be a more inclusive mayor (06.18.12)
Sophie Hahn announces candidacy for City Council (05.09.12)
Berkeley’s Mayor Tom Bates announces his re-election bid (04.26.12)
