Candidates' financial filings reflect modest fundraising
By Kara Chalmers
The race for the two open seats on the Saratoga City Council is characterized more by similarities than differences at this point in the campaign--at least in terms of fundraising.
Council members Ann Waltonsmith and Stan Bogosian, as well as planning commission Chairman Chuck Page, filed campaign financing statements with the city on Oct. 5, as required by law, since they each have raised more than $1,000. The statements cover July 1 to Sept. 30, for the Nov. 7 election.
Candidates are required to update their campaign financing statement by Oct. 26.
Page leads in fundraising, but not by much. He has also spent the least of the three candidates.
Page has raised $4,725 in cash contributions and loans, and has spent $806. Bogosian has raised $4,568 and has spent $2,014, while Waltonsmith has raised $4,496 and has spent $3,786.
The candidates' contributions and expenditures differ from those of the last election in 1998 when, at the time of the first filing, candidate Gillian Moran led in contributions with almost $9,000 and Erna Jackman had raised almost $5,500. Evan Baker and John Mehaffey had each raised a little over $3,000 apiece and Nick Streit had raised less than $1,000.
Today, in all three campaigns, individuals made the following contributions, and some individuals' names appear on both Waltonsmith's and Bogosian's lists.
Former City Councilwoman Meg Caldwell and Bob Williams contributed $500 to Bogosian's campaign; Sue Wingerter gave $300; Saratoga Creek activist Don Whetstone gave $250 and Planning Commissioner Cynthia Barry and West Valley-Mission Community College District Trustee Jeff Schwartz gave $100. Bogosian raised $471 from donors in amounts of less than $100 each. Contributions and expenditures of less than $100 are totaled, but not itemized.
Barry and Schwartz also gave $100 to Waltonsmith's campaign, while Gordon and Cheriel Jensen gave $100; Caldwell and Williams contributed $500; Scott McGregor and Laurie Girand gave $100; Whetstone gave $250, and Michael and Audrey Mac Lean Clair gave $1,000. Waltonsmith's unitemized contributions--or contributions of less than $100--totaled $446.
Dave Reis and Robin Fields contributed $250 to Page's campaign, while Azule Crossing owners Antone and Zorka Ficovich gave $100, former planning Commissioner Mark Pierce gave $250, city Councilman Nick Streit gave $100, and Page gave himself $100. Page's unitemized contributions totaled $1,425.
At six donors, Waltonsmith has the highest number of donors so far, while Page and Bogosian each have four. There were no donors who gave more than $1,000 to any candidate, although Michael and Audrey Mac Lean Clair contributed $1,000 to Waltonsmith's campaign.
All three candidates loaned themselves money. Bogosian loaned himself $2,947, Waltonsmith lent herself $2,000 and Page loaned himself $2,500.
Waltonsmith spent $877 on the Committee to Re-Elect Stan Bogosian. Waltonsmith's other expenses consisted of $540 on the filing fee and ballot statement to the city, $2,338 on postage, delivery and messenger services, $30 in unitemized payments under $100 and $2,369 in total interest paid on outstanding loans.
So far, Bogosian has spent $540 on the filing fee, $289 on campaign paraphernalia and $1,184 on campaign literature and mailings.
Page has spent $540 on the filing fee, $130 on office expenses and $135 on unitemized payments.
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Saratoga, California Since 1955
