By Clarence Cromwell
Thanks to a foundation of supporters built in a previous election, incumbent Linda Lubeck is winning the money-raising contest in the Los Gatos Town Council race, according to documents recently filed with the town clerk.
Lubeck reported $5,568 in campaign contributions during the filing that ended Sept. 30. Her financial statements show that most of her contributors this year are the same donors who gave her money in 1992.
Jan Hutchins followed with $3,534--a respectable sum for a candidate who said he would not ask anyone for money.
The other two candidates trailed far behind, and both reported that about two-thirds of their campaign funding came from their own pockets.
Former Los Gatos mayor Egon Jensen reported $800, including $600 of his own money that he loaned to his campaign. Barbara Reed, an agent for Los Gatos Travel, gave $100. Ken Haughton, an IBM retiree, gave $100. Jensen said the reason he trails behind Lubeck and Hutchins, despite his past political experience, is that he hasn't spent much time fund-raising this election.
Jones loaned his campaign $467 and received $200 in cash contributions--all of them less than $100--for a total of $667.
Candidates typically spend $5,000 to $12,000 campaigning for a Town Council seat. Current and past councilmembers agree that first-time candidates for the office generally do not raise as much money as incumbents. But they also say a seat can be won on a small budget, if the candidate knocks on a lot of doors to talk with voters in person.
Lubeck, the seasoned incumbent, tapped the list of supporters she built during her first campaign four years ago. Lubeck received contributions from the largest number of supporters, 24, which is read in some cirlcles as an indication that a candidate is widely supported.
It's also related to Lubeck's incumbency. When she began her 1996 campaign, Lubeck sent a form letter to everyone who gave her money in 1992. The letter raised $3,500 within a few weeks.
Cynthia Kenyon-Lazares, of the accounting firm Shilling & Kenyon, which employs Lubeck, gave $500. Jim and Sara McManis gave $250. (Jim is a partner in the law firm McManis and Faulkner.)
The remainder of Lubeck's contributors gave her $100: Bruce Fitzgerald, of the Woodworkers Lumber Co. on University Avenue; the Los Gatos Porch on N. Santa Cruz Avenue; Paul Dorsa, owner of the Opera House on W. Main Street; Claire and Manfred Rice--Manfred is president of the John Lincoln Co.; Kurt Lemons, owner of Upstream Flyfishing on N. Santa Cruz Avenue; Sandy and Brent Ventura--Brent is a Los Gatos attorney, former Los Gatos mayor and current county planning commissioner; Elizabeth and Steve Zientek--Steve is a member of the Los Gatos Parking Commission; developer Dave Flick; Randy Reedy, a Los Gatos-based corporate attorney; Dennis Varni, part-owner of Green Valley Disposal Co.; Joe Zanardi, another Green Valley owner; Patrick O'Laughlin, current Town Council member; John Moore, owner of Moore Buick Pontiac and GMC Truck; Bert and Gloria Millen, self-employed Los Gatos property managers; Tedd and Judy Wallace; Melvin Smith; Doctor David Weissman; Ben Reichmuth; Don Callahan; Marlon Smith; and David and Lori Cecilia.
Although nearly all Hutchins' contributions are larger than Lubeck's--he received money from only seven people--it's impossible to figure whether Hutchins has fewer supporters because he's a new face, or because he hasn't sent a letter that specifically requests money.
Hutchins' pledge for the campaign is that he won't ask anyone for funding--but if anyone offers, he'll take it.
Hutchins accepted $500 from Walsh Building Contractors; $500 from Teri Hope, his wife and owner of the Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company; $500 from Los Gatan Mary Meyers; $500 from Shari and Dave Flick--Dave is the developer who wants to build at E. Main and College Avenue at the locations where the Buffalo Trading Co. building now stands; $100 from Dom Dadini, owner of Dom's Exxon on Los Gatos Boulevard; and $150 from Planning Commissioner Mike Abkin.
Lubeck's biggest gift--and the biggest contribution in the election to date--was $1,000 from the owners of Los Gatos-based Mimco Construction.
This article appeared in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, October 23, 1996.
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