Government
McGrane leads in council campaign contributions
Posted on Oct 29, 2009 by Rick Smith.
Jerry McGrane
District 3 incumbent Jerry McGrane has raised $21,300 in campaign contributions, the most among candidates in the non-mayoral council races.
Of that amount, $15,000 comes from local labor unions — $12,000 from the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 125; $2,000 from the Cedar Rapids Building Trades Council; and $1,000 from the Iron Workers Local 89. McGrane also has received $500 from the Home Builders of Greater Cedar Rapids.
Pat Shey, a current at-large council member who is taking on McGrane in District 3, has raised $8,499, all from individuals except for a $350 contribution from the Master Builders of Iowa.
District 1 incumbent Kris Gulick has raised $5,220 in new contributions. He lists two organizational contributions: $350 from the Master Builders of Iowa and $250 from the Home Builders of Greater Cedar Rapids.
District 1 challenger Ryan Russell has raised $1,065.
At-large candidate Aaron Saylor has raised $3,313 in contributions, and at-large candidate Nick Duffy has raised $1,755 — $1,000 of which comes from the Cedar Rapids Building Trades Council.
District 5 incumbent Justin Shields, a local labor leader, is running unopposed. He had raised $5,613 in new contributions, $5,000 of which is from labor groups.
Five other non-mayoral candidates apparently have not raised more or spent more than $750 on their campaigns because they did report Thursday to the state’s Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board.
Those five are at-large candidates Robert Bates, Don Karr Jr. and Chuck Swore; District 1 candidate Tim Pugh; and District 3 candidate Kathy Potts.
thumbsupracing
30. Oct, 2009
Wonder if he loaned his campaign any of that Jumpstart money he's rumored to have gotten, even though somehow with flood insurance I hear that disqualifies the average flood victim from getting that kind of assistance. And that is a lot of union to be beholden to…
knarfgnik
30. Oct, 2009
To be serious for one minute. We MUST get rid of him from the city council. He has never been able to answer any serious questions and many times has admitted he doesn't understand what is going on. We need leaders who lead not followers who stumble….
JB007
30. Oct, 2009
It is difficult to accept this is true. I can't believe anyone other than him and his neighbors would contribute to his campaign. If anyone has ever attended a council meeting, McGrane looked and acted the most unprofessional of all the council members. I know this may not be an accurate reflexion of how he truly is, but, come on, this is a city council not a local bowling league committee. Professionalism the very least we should expect from the council members. If he can't do something as simple as this, then maybe he should run for the bowling committee instead.
Dudie
30. Oct, 2009
I've never understood this 'Professionalism' thing, and would appreciate anyone who would be kind enough to take a moment to explain it. Does a part time position require this 'Professionalism' thing? If so, does that make one a 'Proffesional' amatuer? If more people contribute more money to any project wouldn't it, at some point, be considered 'Professional'?
I'm confused.
CRFloodSurvivor
30. Oct, 2009
Hey wait a second. I am a part of a local bowling commitee. We do not want him.
knarfgnik
30. Oct, 2009
Awww Cmon Be a good sport and take him . Its either you or maybe he can get a job working at Affordable Housing Network as a guard at the Subsidized housing units they own. After all he does have some connections there. I can envision him driving around in a subcompact car ridding the neighborhood of crime and corruption.
CRFloodSurvivor
30. Oct, 2009
hey wait a second, I am a part of a local bowling commitee….thats a bad comparison, we don't want him.
Iowarch
30. Oct, 2009
McGrane and "professional" do not belong in the same sentance. He is a back stabbing and manipulating man of little talent. His attitude of my way or the highway is about as disgusting as one could ever ask for in a person who is suppose to represent my district. I could care less that he was flooded out, look to see just how many of the really important meetings he should have attended when he told others he didn't have time for that and all he was going to do was be at the council meetings. Notice who shows up dressed casually at council meetings but showed up at the first open house for the Skogman houses in his neighborhood in a suit! Might it be he needed to show some respect for those who fixed him up with a new home in the same building program? You be the judge, I'm not voting for this scoundrel.
knarfgnik
30. Oct, 2009
I would have to say that anyone who would give money to his campaign is looking to keep him in office because of his lack of ability. He is the perfect council member for those who want a vote and only want to buy him donuts and coffee to get it. The joke around town is that anytime someone wants his vote is that they invite him out to Donutland. I guess you would have to ask the people at Donutland to confirm that rumor. The smartest thing I ever heard him say was when he came back from Washington or maybe DesMoines and told us they thought we were all just ignorant hicks. I guess they judges us all by what he looked and acted like. I do not remember the exact words but it was embarrasing.