3rd District candidates 1Q funds filed

 

As the race for the next 3rd District Supervisor nears its June 3 primary homestretch, candidate Doreen Farr still leads the pack in campaign contributions with David Smyser trailing close behind.

Candidates were required to turn in their campaign disclosure statements by March 24.

 

Though Smyser is trailing Farr, he’s raised nearly $20,000 more than she since the beginning of the year.

According to their Recipient Committee Campaign Statements, commonly referred to as Form 460, which reports candidates’ campaign contributions, Smyser has raised $76,834.00 since Jan 1, making his total since he began raising funds about $131,000, compared to Farr, who raised $58,657 during the period and a total of about $157,000.

 

If the second quarter of contributions are an indication of who voters will choose to be the next 3rd District Superviosr, it would be a close call between Smyser and Farr, as Smyser continues to hedge the gap between himself and his top opponent.

Smyser’s media representative, Marlene King, attributed the rise in contributions to increasing voter support.

“They are listening to what he has to say…” she said. “…I think people want to hear what he stands for and are willing to support him…[they] feel he’s qualified for the job.”

Notwithstanding this year’s contributions, Farr remains optimistic of her position.

“I don’t think I’m loosing steam at all,” she said, adding that her quarter totals could be lower because her support base mainly consists of individual donors.

 

Behind Smyser and Farr, Steve Pappas reported raising over $35,000 since Jan. 1, bringing him to about $54,000 in toto.

Dr. David Bearman has raised nearly $10,000 since January and has raised about $31,000 overall.

Coming in last, Buellton City Councilwoman and former Mayor Victoria Pointer has raised $2,400.

“I run on bare bones,” Pointer said. “Grassroots, I’m the real deal.”

 

During this reporting period, Smyser is not the only candidate pulling in big donors.

Farr’s largest contribution this year has come from Peter Sperling, vice president of Apollo Industries, who donated $6,000. Apollo Industries owns the Online University of Phoenix. Smyser has several donors, including Dallas Billionaire Harold Simmons and Patrick Nesbitt, a lawyer in Carpinteria, who gave $5,000 a piece.

Pappas reeled in $20,000 from Nancy Crawford-Hall Enterprises, owner of the Valley Journal, and Doug Herthel, a Los Olivos veterinarian. Each gave him $10,000.

The bankroll is not as fat for other candidates, such as Pointer and Bearman.

 

Bearman is not deterred by the money factor and pointed out the power that voters have.

“Last time I looked, the outcome was determined by the number of people at the poles, not by how much money you raised,” he said.

Pappas shared Bearman’s sentiment, but chalked it up to the cost of spreading a message.

“Things are expensive,” he said. His first mailer, which was sent out to 20,000 households, cost his campaign $12,000.

“It’s a crime, but it is what it is,” he added. “It’s an unfortunate part of the political system.”

 

While Pointer has spent her money on buttons and mailers, other candidates have held meet-and-greets and fund-raisers to spread their message.

Smyser held a fund-raiser at the Baccara Resort and Spa in Goleta Feb. 13 and a meet-and-greet earlier in the year.

Farr also has held a couple fund-raisers, which were sponsored by the Democratic Women of Santa Barbara and the Jansen Family in Montecito.

Pappas has announced tentative plans to hold a meet-and-greet April 16 at the Pepper Tree Ranch in Santa Ynez.

Though contribution forms were due March 24, Bearman was late getting his report to the Santa Barbara County Elections Office, turning it in March 28.

Bearman said it was a matter of timing and his report wasn’t delayed because he has something to hide.

 

Smyser turned in incomplete information about his non-monetary contributions this year, leaving out the Feb. 13 Valentine’s fund-raiser at the Bacarra.

King said the Smyser campaign is waiting to receive a statement that details what services the resort provided to the campaign before reporting it to the elections office.

“Hopefully we will get the form from them…we need to know exactly what the goods and services would cost,” she said. “We’re not hiding anything…nobody [is] stupid or dishonest…the minute the Baccara returns the form, we will report it.

 

King added that she thought voters cared more about what Smyser stands for than whether he is late reporting fund-raisers or non-monetary contributions.

Current 3rd District Supervisor Brooks Firestone announced that he was not planning to run for a second term last year, spurring the five candidates to vie for the open seat on the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors.

If a candidate receives an absolute majority of votes in the June 3 primary, he or she will be elected into office.

If a single candidate does not receive more than 50 percent of the votes cast in June, the two top candidates will run against each other in the General Election in November, with the winner taking office in January 2009.