Candidates in SLO County races raise money $1 at a time
An earlier version of this story had an incorrect fundraising total for Andy Pease.
Most candidates vying for city council and mayoral seats in San Luis Obispo County run relatively small budget campaigns of a few thousand dollars, often making ends meet by digging into their own pockets. Clearly, they rely just as much on word of mouth, networking and plain old shoe-leather campaigning.
Even in city races with the most cash in play — San Luis Obispo, Pismo Beach and Paso Robles — the most moneyed campaigns raise just enough to scratch five figures. Still, every dollar means more for campaign fliers, yard signs and ads. Candidates filed their most recent campaign finance reports last week at their city halls. Here’s what the reports show:
Arroyo Grande
In the race to fill two seats on the Arroyo Grande City Council and the mayoral title, council candidates Caren Ray and Kristen Barneich lead in campaign fundraising.
Ray, who unsuccessfully ran for District 4 county supervisor in 2014, has raised $10,206 and spent $5,251 this year.
Some of Ray’s largest donations include $500 each from Rooster Creek Tavern, Carla Haynie, James Lokey, James Murphy Jr. and Compass Health Inc.
Other than Oceano Community Services District Director Matt Guerrero, Ray had no donations from fellow public officials.
Barneich, an incumbent, has raised $9,628 and spent $7,924.41. Notably, $4,328 — or just less than 45 percent — of her total contributions was earned in donations of less than $100 each.
Her top donors were Jeanne Barneich, $1,000, and Steven Hollister, $500. Kristen Barneich also received $100 from fellow council member Jim Guthrie.
Following behind was Mayor Jim Hill, who has raised $5,879 and spent $3,099. Hill, who is attempting to earn his second term as mayor after a whirlwind write-in campaign swept him into office in 2014, had large donations from Allan Real Estate Investments, $1,500, and Peter Keith, $1,000, as well as $500 from Grover Beach mayoral candidate Ron Arnoldsen. He also received $250 from Republican congressional candidate Justin Fareed.
The majority of council candidate Ken Sage’s $5,100 in funding came from $3,200 in a loan and gift he gave his campaign. None of his contributors gave more than $250; he did receive $100 from Councilman Tim Brown. With just less than a month left to go before the election, Sage has $9 left.
Mayoral candidate Waller raised $3,759, with most coming from a $2,000 loan he gave his campaign in August. Of his donations from private citizens, none totaled more than $250. Waller has spent $1,436.42.
Finally, council candidate LeAnn Akins has raised $2,045 and spent $992.61. Akins’ notable donors include a $500 donation from Dennis Allen (who also donated to Mayor Hill’s campaign) and $250 from Hill’s wife, Linn Hill. Akins also received $200 from 4th District Supervisor Lynn Compton.
Council candidate John Mack filed a form declaring he didn’t intend to raise more than $2,000.
Atascadero
Incumbents have raised the most money in Atascadero, where seven candidates are running for two City Council seats and a mayoral title.
Incumbent Councilwoman Roberta Fonzi’s campaign took in more than $8,000 in 2016, including a $600 loan from her husband, Alfred Fonzi, and $450 in a noncash contribution for the use of the Portola Inn for a campaign party. The inn is owned by incumbent Mayor Tom O’Malley.
Fonzi’s top donations include $2,000 from the Lincoln Club of San Luis Obispo County, $500 from 35th District Assemblyman Katcho Achadjian and $300 from county Supervisor Debbie Arnold’s campaign. County supervisor candidate John Peschong, 35th District Assembly candidate Jordan Cunningham, Atascadero Councilwoman Heather Moreno and O’Malley all donated $100.
Fonzi’s campaign spent more than $3,700.
O’Malley’s campaign has raised about $7,900. He loaned his campaign $1,500 prior to the start of 2016 but repaid it this year. O’Malley’s own Portola Inn also provided a $450 party.
His top donations include $600 from county Supervisor Debbie Arnold and her campaign, $500 from Achadjian and $500 from retiree Robert Jones. Cunningham, Peschong, Fonzi, Moreno and Councilman Brian Sturtevant all made $100 donations.
O’Malley, who started 2016 with almost $5,000, spent more than $9,000, including the $1,500 loan repayment.
Charles Bourbeau, one of Fonzi’s three opponents, took in about $2,500, most coming from $1,500 he loaned his campaign. His top donor was Kenneth Weathers, the retired general manager of the Atascadero Mutual Water Co., who gave $200.
Nicholas Mattson, one of O’Malley’s two mayoral opponents, is self-funding much of his campaign. He’s raised about $7,700, including his own $5,000 loan. His top two donations were $500 from Mike and Kellie Avila of Avila Construction and $500 from retirees Bob and Johanna Friedrichsen.
Mayoral candidate Ann Ketcherside and council candidates Daniel Eister and Bret Heinemann all filed forms declaring they don’t intend to raise more than $2,000.
Grover Beach
Grover Beach candidates are running shoestring campaigns.
Council candidate Jeff Lee led in fundraising with $3,158 raised since 2015, including his own $270 loan. Lee has so far spent $1,181.90.
Some of his largest donations were $250 each from the SLO County Democratic Party, PG&E and Salud Carbajal for Congress. He also received $200 from Grover Beach Mayor John Shoals and $100 from Pismo Beach Mayor Shelly Higginbotham.
Speaking of Shoals, his campaign has raised $2,317.14, including a $900 loan from himself. He has spent $1,157.27 so far.
Shoals’ notable donors include $300 from the SLO County Democractic Party and $200 from council candidate Lee.
Council candidate Debbie Peterson followed behind, raising $1,726.99 and spending $956.36. About $600 came from a nonmonetary donation from Peterson herself, for use of her real estate business office space. Her largest donation was $350 from Robert Shanbrom.
Both mayoral candidate Arnoldsen and council candidate Terry Wingate filed forms declaring they don’t intend to raise more than $2,000.
Morro Bay
Incumbent Jamie Irons has raised the most campaign money of the three candidates running for mayor.
Irons reported raising $7,545 and spending $3,805. His largest contributions were four $500 donations by Morro Bay residents Laura Pick, Jill Stavros, Jay Patel and William Luffee.
Luffee also gave $500 to City Council candidates Marlys McPherson and Robert “Red” Davis.
Mayoral candidate Tina Metzger has raised $5,897.97 and spent $3,306.17. Her largest contributions were $1,000 from Diane E. Brown of Newport Beach and $500 from Ann Reisner of Morro Bay.
Betty Winholtz, who is also running for mayor, has raised $4,766 and spent $3,087. Her largest contributions were $1,000 from Robert Mellon and $500 from Carl Grilli, both of Morro Bay.
Of the three candidates running for two seats on the City Council, McPherson has raised the most money with $5,304, spending $2,796.
Davis raised $4,226, including his own $350, and spent $3,751.
Richard Sadowski reported raising and spending $622.78. His campaign finance report did not list donors.
Pismo Beach
In Pismo Beach, Councilmen Erik Howell and Ed Waage have raised the most among the field of six candidates vying for two council seats and the mayoral seat.
Howell has raised $10,615 including $1,300 in nonmonetary donations from The Cliffs Resort for a campaign kickoff party last summer. He has spent $6,816.34.
Among Howell’s notable donations is a controversial $1,000 from Antoinette DeVargas, whose domestic partner Susan McCabe was involved in a Pismo Beach project that went before the California Coastal Commission two months after Howell, a commissioner, received the donation. Following the decision, a group of project opponents filed a complaint with the California Fair Political Practices Commission, alleging Howell violated the Political Reform Act by voting on an issue within a year of receiving a major donation from someone involved with the project.
Howell has said he was not aware that DeVargas was McCabe’s partner at the time. He also said that McCabe was not involved with the Pismo Beach project at the time of the donation. The FPPC investigation into the complaint is still open.
Howell’s other notable donations include a total of $625 from fellow council member Sheila Blake and $500 each from Dayna Bochoco, John Fox, Oceano Community Services District Director Matthew Guerrero, Christopher Hulburd, Martin Suit and Steve Westly. He also received $125 donations from Santa Barbara mayor and former congressional candidate Helene Schneider and current Assembly candidate Dawn Ortiz-Legg.
Waage, who is running for mayor, has accumulated $9,112 for his campaign including $5,900 in personal loans. He has spent $2,041.38.
Waage’s largest donations were $1,000 from the Lincoln Club of SLO County and $400 from Howard Weinberg. He also received $150 from Mayor Higginbotham.
The remaining four candidates have raised significantly less.
Sandra Gore Nielsen, who started her campaign running for City Council before deciding to challenge Waage for the mayor’s seat — has raised $3,021, including $1,000 she loaned her campaign. She has spent $1,380.05. No donations were for more than $250.
Notably, Councilwoman Sheila Blake donated $100 to both Waage and Nielsen’s campaigns.
Council candidate Marcia Guthrie has raised $2,221.76 including a $131.76 nonmonetary donation from herself for campaign materials. Her single listed expenditure was $50 for filing her initial candidate statement. Guthrie’s largest donations were $500 from both Marilyn Hansen and Mike and Leslie Hannon.
Candidates Brian Kreowski and Tom Burgher gathered less than $2,000 apiece.
Kreowski has raised $1,801 including a total of $1,102.60 in nonmonetary donations from himself and his Shell Beach Law Group for campaign signs. He has spent no money from his campaign finances. Kreowski has received one donation: $500 from Mission Law Inc.
Burgher has raised $1,732.82, including a $1,000 loan from himself and $377.13 in nonmonetary donations for campaign materials.
Paso Robles
Incumbent Councilman Steve Gregory raised the most money of the three candidates running for two City Council seats in Paso Robles, taking in more than $11,843 including $1,000 he loaned his campaign.
Developer Tom Erskine and the Erskine Property Trust gave $1,000, Gregory’s largest donation.
Other top donors include attorney Thomas Madden, who gave $950, and Jacob Huebner of Huebner Enterprises, who donated $750. Nearly $900 of Gregory’s donations came from individuals giving less than $100. Gregory spent about $7,200.
Fred Strong, Gregory’s opponent, raised more than $4,500 in donations. The Erskine Property Trust was also Strong’s biggest donor, giving his campaign $1,000. Retiree Ken Mundee gave Strong $500, making him another top donor.
Kevin Kreowski, the third Paso Robles candidate, did not file campaign finance disclosure forms.
San Luis Obispo
The candidates in San Luis Obispo’s mayoral race have raised roughly the same amount — Heidi Harmon has pulled in $12,770 while incumbent Jan Marx has raised $12,409.
Harmon collected $300 from Linda White, a retired nurse and real estate broker, and $200 from Los Osos fishing guide Adam Kirchner.
Notably, Harmon returned a $300 gift from Integrity San Luis Obispo, a political action committee formed by activist Kevin P. Rice, a libertarian-leaning independent who opposes Marx. Harmon said the check was cashed in error by her accountant, after Harmon advised her not to accept the money. The donation was highlighted by Marx in a recent newsletter. Harmon is a progressive liberal and environmental advocate.
Harmon had an ending balance of $8,196.
Marx collected $200 from county Supervisor Adam Hill and $100 from San Luis Obispo Planning Commission Chairman Chuck Stevenson. Her ending cash balance was $7,118.
Council candidate Aaron Gomez topped his competitors by collecting $15,230; he spent $7,873. His donations included $300 gifts from San Luis Obispo architect Thom Jess and county Planning Commissioner Eric Meyer, and $100 from county Supervisor Hill. He has $4,777 left to spend.
Christopher D. Lopez has raised $9,910 including $5,410 of his own money and $4,500 from Elfego G. Lopez of Lopez Landscaping. He’s spent $8,220.
Brett Strickland has taken in $849 in contributions and $1,044 in loans, spending $1,401. He received $200 from Michelle Tasseff, a city of Santa Maria code enforcement officer. His reported cash balance is $524.
Mila Vujovich-La Barre has collected $7,009 while spending $4,764. She collected $300 each from retired San Luis Obispo residents Linda White and David Brodie, leaving her with $2,245.
Andy Pease has taken in a total of $13,602, including $11,160 in monetary contributions, $442 in non-monetary contributions and $2,000 she loaned her campaign. San Luis Obispo architect Jim Duffy and San Luis Obispo retiree Jim Woolf donated $300 each to Pease. She has a cash balance of $6,023.
Mike Clark received $3,823 and loaned his campaign $2,000, while spending $2,591. Former Mayor Ken Schwartz loaned him $100 and Brodie loaned him $300. His balance is $3,232.
Lindsey Holden, Kaytlyn Leslie, David Sneed and Nick Wilson contributed to this article.
This story was originally published October 7, 2016 at 8:59 PM with the headline "Candidates in SLO County races raise money $1 at a time."