The Redwood City Council race has attracted more money than anyone seems to recall for a local municipal election, with the most in terms of total contributions going to Planning Commissioner Giselle Hale and the least to incumbent Diane Howard.
Hale, who also works for Facebook, has received $95,143, Complete Streets Vice Chair Jason Galisatus is runner-up, having raised $72,964, activist Diana Reddy saw $50,646 for her campaign, Christina Umhofer is working with $38,966, Planning Commissioner Ernie Schmidt got $31,142, accountant Rick Hunter raised $29,452 and Howard, who has been a councilwoman for nearly 20 years, received $29,287, according to campaign finance statements filed with the city last week.
Almost every candidate said too much money has poured into the race and is interested in contribution limits for future races.
“I think we establish an unfortunate precedent when we raise so much money that it keeps other people from entering into this democratic process,” Reddy said, adding that she has friends in Pacifica running for City Council seats on $15,000 worth of contributions.
Schmidt said the city needs to “seriously” look into campaign finance reform.
“I got the sense when walking neighborhoods and talking to voters they also feel the same way,” he said.
As one might guess, the two candidates with the most overall campaign contributions have also received the biggest donations from individual sources.
Hale has received $5,000 from the San Mateo County Association of Realtors, or SAMCAR; $3,200 from stay-at-home mom Robyn Reiss; $2,500 from the Harbor Village Mobile Home Park; $2,700 from composer Ann McNamee and $2,000 from Realtor Chris Giotinis.
Hale said the number of voters has tripled with the move to even year elections.
"The unintended consequence is that it makes running a campaign designed to reach every voter more expensive. I built a budget to reach every voter," she said, adding that she was surprised to discover there is no donor cap in Redwood City and appears interested in establishing one. "I'm proud to have raised more money from Redwood City residents and small businesses than any other candidate and not taken any developer money. It's a reflection of support for my message of increasing housing affordability and expanding transportation options."
Galisatus’ big-ticket contributions include $5,000 from the California Real Estate PAC, $2,500 from the Harbor Village Mobile Home Park, $2,500 from construction company Geer’s Excavating and $2,000 from Philip Mahoney, vice president of Cornish & Carey Commercial Newmark Knight Frank. Three other executives from Cornish & Carey Commercial Newmark Knight Frank gave $1,000 each.
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Galisatus said the money he’s raised is indicative of his fitness for the job.
“I was the last and youngest candidate to enter the race and the fact that I’ve managed to raise more funds than other candidates is a reflection of my viability and belief in my capacity to lead Redwood City,” he said.
Galisatus said he donated contributions from one source, the California Association of Realtors, to the San Mateo County Pride Center, which provides LGBTQ services for the county.
“I’ve been really proud that our campaign focused on a positive message and having been the target of multiple personal attacks in the campaign I didn’t want to go that route,” he said.
Several candidates, including Hunter and Howard, said they would not accept money from any developer proposing a project in the city either now or in the foreseeable future.
Schmidt said he’s not accepting money from any developer and Umhofer said she’s not taking any corporate or special interest money, citing the California Apartment Association and SAMCAR specifically.
Reddy also mentioned those organizations. There has been some concern in the campaign about mailers from real estate interest groups targeting Reddy for her stance on tenant protection measures.
“We made it clear in the beginning that we don’t accept corporate or developer money, but I wasn’t expecting to be offered any either because of my positions,” she said. “It’s always good to follow where the money is coming from [in a council race]. Is it outside or inside money? Is it coming from special interests? Those are good things for people to think about when voting for people.”
The money Galisatus and Hale donated to charity, after public pressure, was from the California Apartment Association (CAA). They also took hefty amounts from the Realtors Associations which are equally responsible for the SIX (so far) poisonous mailers targeting Diana Reddy. Neither of those candidates admonished the realtor associations nor returned any of that money. Redwood City not only has seen this much money in a race, they have never before seen mailers against a candidate.
what is interesting, is that the voters, in their ignorance, will cut their noses off to spite their faces, sort of us versus them, they don't seem to understand, what goes around, comes around, also true of the corrupt candidates who feed off the special interest contributions, remember, you get what you voted for
I fail to see how a candidate can say they're running a Clean Campaign when they're taking money from the very people responsible for the six smear Flyers against Diana Reddy. We've never seen anything like this in Redwood City. I personally feel that if you take money from those organizations that you are condoning the way that they are conducting business which actually goes against their own code of conduct if you go to any of the websites. To repeatedly hear from candidates that they've been under attack while Diana has actually had these horrible mailers sent out to all of her friends and Neighbors goes to show you what experience brings to the table and that's class.
YES to REDDY, UMHOFER, to protect our quality of life! They are the ones who will PROTECT rwc from the nightmares of new housing that creates our overpopulation and traffic!
NO to corporate phony HALE, immature little boy GALISATAS. They will sell us down the river at the lowest bid!!!
Not surprising that those with investments and income at risk have donated to campaigns to protect their interests; this is the intersection of democracy and free markets and has been around for years. If Prop 10 passes and a majority of a city council embrace rent control then single family homes become very vulnerable to price controls. Those that put Prop 10 on the ballot should have expected vigorous opposition from homeowners around the State.
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(6) comments
The money Galisatus and Hale donated to charity, after public pressure, was from the California Apartment Association (CAA). They also took hefty amounts from the Realtors Associations which are equally responsible for the SIX (so far) poisonous mailers targeting Diana Reddy. Neither of those candidates admonished the realtor associations nor returned any of that money. Redwood City not only has seen this much money in a race, they have never before seen mailers against a candidate.
what is interesting, is that the voters, in their
ignorance, will cut their noses off to spite
their faces, sort of us versus them, they don't
seem to understand, what goes around, comes around, also true of the corrupt
candidates who feed off the special interest
contributions, remember, you get what you
voted for
I fail to see how a candidate can say they're running a Clean Campaign when they're taking money from the very people responsible for the six smear Flyers against Diana Reddy. We've never seen anything like this in Redwood City. I personally feel that if you take money from those organizations that you are condoning the way that they are conducting business which actually goes against their own code of conduct if you go to any of the websites. To repeatedly hear from candidates that they've been under attack while Diana has actually had these horrible mailers sent out to all of her friends and Neighbors goes to show you what experience brings to the table and that's class.
YES to REDDY, UMHOFER, to protect our quality of life! They are the ones who will PROTECT rwc from the nightmares of new housing that creates our overpopulation and traffic!
NO to corporate phony HALE, immature little boy GALISATAS. They will sell us down the river at the lowest bid!!!
Not surprising that those with investments and income at risk have donated to campaigns to protect their interests; this is the intersection of democracy and free markets and has been around for years. If Prop 10 passes and a majority of a city council embrace rent control then single family homes become very vulnerable to price controls. Those that put Prop 10 on the ballot should have expected vigorous opposition from homeowners around the State.
No on Prop 10 which Diana Reddy supports.
Rent control has never worked anywhere.
Economics needs to be a required course in our schools.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.