The committees advocating for and against Marina’s Measure Q have raised nearly the same amount of cash, according to the latest campaign finance documents filed on Oct. 22. But while opponents of the measure have more donors, supporters have more funds on hand due to loans.
Measure Q is a 7-percent utility users tax on the Nov. 3 ballot. If passed, funds could be used for general purposes, but city leaders say it will go toward constructing new public safety facilities and a city hall.
According to Form 460 documents filed with the Marina City Clerk’s office, Marina Citizens Committee Supporting Measure Q raised $2,250 in donations from seven individuals through Oct. 17, as well as $5,000 from the North Coast State Regional Council of Carpenters Issues PAC and $2,500 from Third Millennium Partners.
That’s in addition to $16,000 in loans the committee has received to date. The majority of the loans—$10,500—comes from Stephen Lee, who serves as treasurer of the committee. Kathy Biala of Marina also loaned the campaign $5,000 (Biala serves on the Marina City Council but is listed as a retiree on the form).
For expenses, the committee has spent $18,578 year to date, mostly on postage and printing flyers, along with a $2,552 Monterey County Weekly advertisement.
Voters for Responsible Taxes, the committee in opposition to Measure Q, raised $9,954 from 27 donors as of Oct. 17, according to campaign forms. The majority of donations are from retirees in Marina, with the largest, $1,000, coming from Marina resident Paula Pelot.
The committee has spent $6,450 so far. That includes campaign mailers and yard signs, as well as a $2,102 ad in the Weekly.
In the three-person race for Marina’s mayor, Liesbeth Visscher edged out Mike Moeller in monetary donations, $17,694 to $15,827, respectively, according to campaign finance documents. But Visscher also loaned her campaign $30,100, while Moeller loaned his campaign $100, leading to Visscher spending $42,153 through Oct. 17, compared to Moeller’s $14,593.
Ana Luz Acevedo-Cabrera says the Fair Political Practices Commission denied her application to set up a fundraising committee, because her campaign name did not include the year of the election, so she has no finance activity to file. She says she is campaigning over social media for free, and has printed low-cost black-and-white flyers.
Moeller’s largest contributions are $3,000 each from the Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 104 Political Committee and the Political Action League for Monterey-Santa Cruz Building and Construction Trades Council.
Visscher’s largest donation of $5,000 comes from the North Coast State Regional Council of Carpenters Issues PAC.
Among their largest expenditures, Visscher spent $7,247 to All American Mailing of Salinas for campaign literature and mailing, while Moeller paid $2,767 to Honan Strategy Group for voter outreach calls.
In the race for the District 4 Marina City Council seat, Athena Burciaga leads with $5,750 in donations as of Oct. 17, followed by Brad Imamura with $3,848 and Mike Simmons with $3,009. (Simmons bolstered his campaign with a $1,800 loan, bringing his total contributions to $4,809, while Imamura loaned his own campaign $100. Burciaga paid off a $55 loan earlier this year.)
Burciaga also spent the most out of the three candidates with $4,304 in expenses, which included $1,131 to VistaPrint for campaign mailers. Simmons spent $4,113, with $2,497 in total to VistaPrint for campaign literature. Imamura’s expenditures totaled $1,693, with $1,143 to himself for campaign materials.