Election Results, Elections, Government
Big disparity in mayoral campaign contributions
Posted on Oct 29, 2009 by Rick Smith.
Ron Corbett, Brian Fagan, P.T. Larson
Ron Corbett has raised $101,072 in mayoral campaign contributions and Brian Fagan, $35,099, with each candidate saying his fundraising approach is the right one.
P.T. Larson, a third mayoral candidate on the Nov. 3 ballot, has not needed to file a financial disclosure report with the state’s Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board because he has not raised more than $750 in the race.
Corbett, 49, vice president at trucking firm CRST Inc., said Thursday that his ability to raise $100,000 in campaign contributions is an indication of the breadth of support for his candidacy.
Corbett said, too, that he has needed to raise money to support a lengthier campaign — he announced for the mayor’s race in early March, Fagan at the end of July. The longer campaign, he said, was needed to battle the advantages that Fagan, an at-large City Council member, enjoys by virtue of incumbency.
Fagan, he said, appears on television every week at council meetings and he’s been the beneficiary of an assortment of City Hall fliers, mailings, e-mails and appearances on City Hall’s own cable TV show. Corbett also said that City Hall has waged its own “little media campaign” in the last couple weeks designed, he said, to benefit Fagan and other council incumbents. He pointed to three things: City Hall’s release of a $50,000 citizen survey to say the city is moving in the right direction; a City Hall news conference to announce the creation of a new medical district in the city; and the city’s flood-recovery director jumping in the repaired Ellis Park pool.
“I think there’s some timing issues for some of these announcements this close to the election that I question,” Corbett said. “But I’m not going to raise a big stink about it. I’m just trying to close my campaign out hard.”
Fagan, 37, an attorney with Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman, said on Thursday that he never has had any interest in raising $100,000 to run for the Cedar Rapids mayor’s job.
“I’ve said from the beginning, this isn’t about money,” Fagan said. “It’s about votes. And I think the residents of Cedar Rapids understand that.”
Fagan said $35,000 is sufficient for him to send out mailings, put up signs and advertise in the media to get his message out. Hard work and a good, “positive” message are doing the rest, he said.
Fagan noted that all of his contributions come from individuals, none from political-action committees or “special interests.” As importantly, he said, all of his major campaign purchases have been from local, flood-impacted businesses. He named Adcraft Printing, Sign Pro and Bimm Ridder Sportswear as three of those.
“I’ve have conducted my campaign to stick to the issues and be positive about how we’re going to continue to bring this community together and not tear it apart,” Fagan said. “I’m working hard, and will continue to work hard.”
Fagan and Corbett both thanked contributors for their generosity.
Corbett said most of his contributions have come from individuals, but he noted $10,500 had come from labor and business organizations. He said both construction interests and labor interests have supported his campaign because they want the jobs that will come with post-flood rebuilding to stay in the community. “And I agree with that,” he said.
From his vantage point, mayoral candidate Larson said Thursday that the campaign contributions going to Corbett and Fagan have resulted in what he said were “some of the worst” negative adds he’s seen in Cedar Rapids. This is Larson’s thirteenth try to win a spot on the City Council.
“Negative ads don’t represent the heart and soul of Cedar Rapids,” he said.
In 2005 — the first election is what that year was the city’s new government with a part-time mayor and council and a full-time professional manager — mayoral candidates each campaigned with about $50,000 in funds. Scott Olson raised $54,701 in campaign contributions and winner Kay Halloran $53,302, though Halloran’s tally included a $20,050 loan from herself to the campaign.
Halloran defeated Olson by 667 votes, 12,753 to 12,086.
The part-time mayor’s job currently pays $32,266, while other council members make $16,137.
In 2001 — the last election to what had been the city’s full-time council — Paul Pate unseated Lee Clancey in a campaign in which, together, the two candidates spent $226,811. They were competing for a full-time job paying in the $80,000-a-year range.
96Bravo
30. Oct, 2009
There is a broad base of support for Ron Corbett; in one of the toughest economic times in a generation and recovering from the fourth largest national disaster in the nation, a diverse cross section of individuals, groups, small business owners, veterans and concerned citizens have provided the means for Mr. Corbett to step in and begin to lead this City in a new and better direction. A hundred thousand is still less than one dollar for every citizen in this city. And every citizen, regardless of whom they give to or vote for will benefit from the hope and change that the Corbett led administration will provide for the City of Five Seasons.
Prplehaze
30. Oct, 2009
Ron Corbett is a career politician and always has been. He garnered support from the Hawkeye Labor Council just like Halloran did, are unions any better off than they were?, NO. I as a veteran and concerned citizen am not behind Corbett I remember his days at the State house and do not wish to relive those.
PDT
30. Oct, 2009
It is getting harder and harder to vote. Used to vote against whomever the unions supported. Now the labor unions carpet bomb the election and throw $$$ and votes at all the people running. I have friends that were diehard union members. Most of them are either laid off or facing a pay/benefits cut in order to keep a job. One of them admitted that if he owned a company he would move to Mexico. $4/hr vs. $23/hr. He said they bargained themselves "Right out of a job".
23streets
30. Oct, 2009
You hear what you want to hear. This town is full of success stories of working union members doing very well, with there employers doing very well. You can lower your standers to find the people your comfortable with. Your core group of people who think like you and you associate with are the once the unions and there members are donating lots of money and free labor to help when heip is needed , no conditions on stands of unions we just heip.
What have you done today to move up and head in your life? Oh,I have a feeling you will say that the uuion employeed households that live better than you, do not deserve what life style they are living. Why don't you move to Mexico and get to work. Go for the Paso man move to your dreams no unions and 2 Pasos a day.
Dudie
30. Oct, 2009
Ever notice how the virulent anti union people take their reasoning from business interests?
Prplehaze
30. Oct, 2009
I am still baffled by the Hawkeye Labor Council throwing their support behind a career politician like Corbett. As his funding and ads show he has not changed since his state politic days, say whatever the people want to hear. I thought the labor council would have learned from the Kay Halloran support, labor jumped on board on the promises of greater days to come and the unions and orgnaizaed labor got 0 from her throughout her term. Strange days indeed.
calex
30. Oct, 2009
If one needs to spend equal to or significantly more than the wage of the position, then something is wrong. For a really good job, I might spend $500.00 on a professional resume, good suit and a hair cut. I'd be awful weary of anyone willing to put tons of money into a part time job. I'd start to ask what they are up to. But I guess we know, they're all going to "fix" Cedar Rapids. I just hope that means rebuilt and not neuter.
Surfing22
30. Oct, 2009
Dont blame the unions for Corbits money Im sure very little of it came from the unions. His money came from all over the country and he hire a add company fron out of CR. So much for staying locale.
Ann_Onamouse
30. Oct, 2009
"an indication of the breadth of support " I'd say it is more" the depth of his supporters pocketbooks"….
Same ol' same ol'. Suppose he has his eyes on Washington?
Iowarch
30. Oct, 2009
money is no indicative of support, it is indicitive of a bought and paid for election. It doesn't matter who does the paying, it matters most that the elections can so easily be bought and voters so easily influenced. The quality of the voters is dependent on the knowledge they have and the amount of engagement they personally have in what is going on. Most have nothing to do with investing of themselves in what is going on and the rest have no time to even read a news paper, especially when the quality of such has gone straight to the bottom of the barrel. I have no answers, but it sure would be nice to know people were not so easily influenced by the amount of TV ads and balloney that is shoveled around because of all the cash.
Prplehaze
30. Oct, 2009
Excellent points, we have become a society of not wanting to be engaged but wanting all of the best outcomes. Maybe we should start a new organization called informed voters. Of course the down side is no one would ever get elected if we all stayed engaged and learned what is truly going on around us.
Ann_Onamouse
30. Oct, 2009
That's pretty much where I was going with my comment. I agree…
Dudie
30. Oct, 2009
the editing process here can kiss my____.
DavidGHall
30. Oct, 2009
Maybe we should all vote for Larson. Its safe to say he isnt owned by corporate interests. Could he be any worse than Halloran?
You gotta give it to the guy. He just keeps trying.
CROslady
30. Oct, 2009
Just because he keeps trying doesn't mean he's well suited. Ross Perot kept trying.
DavidGHall
30. Oct, 2009
Perot would have at least stopped NAFTA. Everyone made fun of his "Giant Sucking Sound" comment, but it turned out he was spot on.
I'm not saying that I'm voting for Larson, but how hard is it to be Mayor? Its not freakin' rocket science! Anyone with basic business experience and a fundamental understanding of the U.S. and State constitutions would do a better job than the goons we've had lately.
The problem is that "normal" people usually dont run for government positions and evil usually gravitates to positions of power.
MitchCumsteen
01. Nov, 2009
Broad base of old, stodgy, Mayor Canneyesque group of folks who want ZERO change.
No bypass 100 to Hwy 30, no infrastructure rehab, no gambling.
Guess what? HUNDREDS of Linn County people everyday LEAVE this area and spend $$ at Mesquakie, Waterloo, Dubuque, Quad Cities, and Riverside—and GAMBLE
Ann_Onamouse
30. Oct, 2009
Time will tell…