Follow the Money

Campaign Contribution Reports Filed, Wolf Leads the Pack

by Martha Sadler

The official deadline to report campaign donations passed
quietly on May 20, though candidates may continue to receive
campaign funds from donors until the eve of the election, provided
they file a late contribution report within 48 hours of receiving
late donations. According to the campaign finance reform
initiative — Prop 34 — passed by California voters in 2000,
candidates are required to file periodic reports throughout their
campaigns, rather than after the fact. However, loopholes are
fairly prevalent and enforcement is minimal: Contributors of $100
or more often neglect to list the name of their company; or, if
contributors are retired or financially supported by a spouse, they
are not required to state their source of income.

Individuals or groups may contribute non-reportable “soft money”
by paying for campaign advertising rather than donating funds
directly. However, if a candidate actively participates in a soft
money advertising effort, it must be reported as a contribution.
Likewise, a contribution report must be filed when a candidate
receives advertising support from a fellow politician.

While none of the candidates running for 2nd District supervisor
has approached the record $230,000 raised in 2004 by 1st District
Supe Salud Carbajal, the money continues to flow in the race to
replace Susan Rose. The following is a summary of contributors who
have given money since mid March, and the totals for the 2006
calendar year.

Janet Wolf: Leading the pack is Wolf, whose
campaign coffers swelled to more than $200,000 — including a
$10,000 gift to herself — with $25,000 from the Santa Barbara
County Firefighters Association, and another $20,000 from the Santa
Barbara County Deputy Sheriffs Association. Wolf also received
considerable support from Democratic incumbent Rep. Lois
Capps — running for re-election in November — whose campaign ads
featured endorsements of Wolf with an estimated in-kind donation
value of $12,000. Friends of Salud Carbajal contributed $17,999 to
pay for Wolf’s campaign mailings during this period. Wolf received
some $10,000 from out-of-town land developers, while her largest
individual contributor was Montecito philanthropist and Democratic
donor Lillian Lovelace — wife of Jon Lovelace, heir and CEO of
Capital Group Companies, one of the world’s leading investment
management organizations. Lovelace made two donations to Wolf in
’06, totaling $10,500. While TV ads have been Wolf’s biggest
expenditure, she was the only 2nd District candidate to report
spending money on slate cards. Wolf paid a total of $3,275 to be
included on the Parents’ Ballot Guide, California Voter Guide, and
Early Voter slate cards mailed to homes and available on Web sites.
Wolf had roughly $55,000 remaining.

Dan Secord: Longtime Santa Barbara City
Councilmember “Doctor Dan” raised $178,036 by the end of the
reporting period with no loans or unpaid bills outstanding. Secord
received several generous boosts in ’06, including $7,500 from the
California Real Estate PAC and $3,000 from the Republican Lincoln
Club of Santa Barbara. Although Secord returned two $1,000
contributions from out-of-town developers, he collected donations
from local developers including Michael Towbes, the Blankenships,
and Pacific Capital. So far, Secord spent $20,000 on radio ads,
more than any other candidate. At the end of the reporting period,
Secord had $80,000 left to spend.

Joe Guzzardi: At the end of the reporting
period, the self-professed grassroots candidate had raised the
least, with a total of $40,174 that included an initial $100 loan
to himself. His largest contributor was Mesa resident Lessie
Sinclair Nixon, a liberal philanthropist and former attorney who
gave $12,000. Guzzardi garnered numerous donations from activists
associated with Citizens for Sensible Planning, who oppose
high-density housing in the eastern Goleta Valley. He also
collected $125 from anti-roundabout activist Michael Self. Guzzardi
spent $10,323 on campaign literature and yard signs, more than he
spent on TV or radio; as of May 20, he had some $10,000
remaining.

Das Williams: With two years left on his Santa
Barbara City Council term, Williams’s bid to jump to the Board of
Supervisors was kick-started last December with $25,000 from
University of Phoenix mogul and environmentalist Peter Sperling,
listed by Forbes as one of the world’s wealthiest people in 2003.
Williams’s 2006 contributions totaled $119,000, with no loans or
unpaid bills. He received $12,500 from the Service Employees
International Union, whom Williams collaborated with to institute a
living wage for city contract workers and also to prevent Wal-Mart
from putting down roots in Ventura. The International Union of
Operating Engineers in Pasadena contributed $6,500 worth of in-kind
printing services. Williams’s second-largest contribution was for
this period was another $12,000 from Sperling. Victoria Ward, a
Goleta foothills homeowner, contributed $10,000. Williams garnered
thousands from the Santa Barbara Hotels Group and various private
hotel owners; he also received numerous donations from
environmental and arts advocates. Williams showed an ending cash
balance of almost $20,000.

Sheriff’s Campaign Contributions The race for
the office of top cop was lopsided in favor of the familiar. During
the last reporting period — from mid March through May
20 — incumbent Sheriff Jim Anderson raised almost $97,000. Notable
donors included the S.B. County Deputy Sheriff’s Association,
contributing $25,000, and Comsup Commodities of New Jersey, which
made an in-kind donation of $12,000 domestic postage. Former
sheriff Jim Thomas followed Anderson with roughly $40,000 during
the same period, including hefty donations of $5,000 each from
chiropractor Jeff Stone and Santa Barbara businessman and former
Sheriff’s Council honcho Chris Edgecomb. Lompoc Police Chief Bill
Brown raised $24,000 since mid March, including $1,500 from
gubernatorial candidate Steve Westly; $500 from the Teamsters;
$1,300 from Wal-Mart stores; $500 from Taser; and $15,000 from his
father, William Brown. Sheriff’s Lt. Butch Arnoldi raised $14,328
during this reporting period with notable contributions from land
development attorneys Barry Capello and Susan Petrovich, who each
gave donations of $1,000.