The Fair Political Practices Commission will investigate whether the No on Measure U1, Yes on Measure DD gropu violated campaign disclosure laws. The group has spent $790K fighting a huge jump in the business tax on rentals. The group prefers a more modest increase. Photo: Kelly Owen The Fair Political Practices Commission will investigate whether […]
Campaign finance
Posted inCity
In Berkeley mayoral race, Arreguín accelerates fundraising, Capitelli maintains monetary lead
Laurie Capitelli and Jesse Arreguín are the two top contenders to replace Mayor Tom Bates. Photo: Emilie Raguso See update below. Berkeley mayoral candidate Jesse Arreguín raised almost three times as much money in the last month as his fiercest rival, Laurie Capitelli. Arreguín raised $33,434 from Sept. 25 to Oct. 22. In that same period, […]
Posted inCity
Public campaign finance advocates find ‘outsized role’ of money in past Berkeley elections
Old City Hall, where the Berkeley City Council meets. Photo: Melati Citrawireja A new analysis of campaign finances from past Berkeley elections has found that more than half the contributions to sitting council members came from less than 1% of Berkeley households, and that one-third of the contributions came from outside the city. The analysis was undertaken by […]
Posted inCity
As election nears, contributions and complaints mount
SEIU Local 1021 has donated $24,000 this election cycle to help candidates it supports. Its funds went into an independent expenditure committee that paid for this website An independent expenditure group backed by one of Berkeley’s largest unions has poured $8,112 into Jesse Arreguín’s mayoral campaign, spending the funds on a website and literature that […]
Posted inCity, Schools
12 Berkeley measures will determine city’s infrastructure, education budget, campaign financing and more
Berkeley students carry Yes on E1 signs during the Solano Stroll. Photo: Yes on E1 campaign As a presidential campaign colored by controversy inches ever closer, local races and campaigns struggle to be heard amid the cacophony. But Berkeley’s ballot is packed with measures that will determine the near-future of the city’s infrastructure, affordable housing […]
Posted inCity
Real-estate interests spend $92K to help elect candidates
The PAC for the National Association of Realtors has spent more than $60K on mailers supporting City Councilman Laurie Capitelli’s mayoral campaign. That leaves City Councilman Jesse Arreguín’s mayoral campaign at a severe monetary disadvantage. Photos: Mark Coplan The PAC for the National Association of Realtors has spent more than $60K on mailers supporting City Councilman […]
Posted inHousing & Development
Real-estate interests spend big to defeat rental tax spike
Real-estate groups have spent more than $786,000 to defeat a measure that would almost double the business tax landlords pay and to support an alternative measure with a lower tax. Photo: William Newton Real-estate groups have spent more than $786,000 in the last few months to defeat a measure that would almost double the business […]
Posted inCity
With 28 days to the election, fundraising gap between mayoral candidates widens
Five of the eight people running for Berkeley mayor wait before the start of the CENA/Bateman Neighborhood Association Forum. From left to right: Jesse Arreguín, Ben Gould, Kriss Worthington, Laurie Capitelli and Mike Lee. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel See update at bottom. With 28 days until the Nov. 8 election, Berkeley mayoral candidate, and city councilman, […]
Posted inCity
2 open Berkeley City Council races draw significant cash
We present a round-up of how the different candidates are doing in terms of raising campaign funds.
Posted inCity
The mayor’s race is off and running: Where do campaign coffers stand?
Laurie Capitelli talks to prospective voters at a house party in July. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel In the last six months, mayoral candidate Laurie Capitelli has raised $67,135 in donations, according to recently filed campaign finance statements. That’s almost 35% more than one of his strongest rivals and fellow city council member, Jesse Arreguín, who raised […]
Posted inCity
They’re off: Candidates file campaign finance statements
Laurie Capitelli. Photo: courtesy Laurie Capitelli The Berkeley political jostling has begun, even though elections will, of course, only be held in November. City Councilman Jesse Arreguín has raised close to $25,000 for his race for mayor, almost four times as much as City Councilman Laurie Capitelli, his strongest opponent. Capitelli, who has been endorsed by […]
Posted inCity
Outside money, solar funds in Assembly campaigns
Echols and Thurmond debated each other in Berkeley on Oct. 7. Photo: Lance Knobel Big outside money is playing a large role in California legislative races this year, and the East Bay is not immune to the trend. Independent Expenditure committees have donated $265,600 so far in support of State Assembly District 15 candidate Tony […]
