With the Nov. 8 election just three weeks away, three candidates vying for two Monterey City Council are hitting the pavement and knocking on doors throughout the city’s neighborhoods to win votes. They are also raising money to connect with voters through the mailers, lawn signs and banners.
Dan Albert Jr. has raised more money so far than the two incumbents, Councilmembers Libby Downey and Allan Haffa, combined, according to campaign disclosure statements showing fundraising efforts from July 1 through Sept. 24.
In that time period Albert brought $17,129 into his campaign coffers, while Downey raised $3,696 and Haffa $5,548.60.
“I’m very proud that people have been supporting me,” Albert says, noting the 200 people who gave him $99 or less totaling $12,181 in unitemized contributions.
“I have to raise more because I’m the challenger, it’s hard for me in candidate forums because I don’t yet have a record to fall back on,” he continues.
Albert received $1,000 from his parents, Daniel and Joanne Albert. His father was Monterey Mayor for two decades starting in the mid-1980s. He also received $250 from Monterey Councilmember Ed Smith.
Both Down and Haffa, who have endorsed each other, say that they don’t see why a candidate would need to spend $10,000 on an election for city council in a city with less than 30,000 residents.
In 2014, Haffa proposed campaign finance reform in Monterey, similar to the ordinance in Pacific Grove that limits contributions to $500. While his proposal didn’t gain traction in the council, Haffa has not received a contribution above $500. Although, he did take $250 from the Monterey Bay Actions PAC, the political arm of the Monterey County Hospital Association.
With Monterey’s leasing guidelines sparking controversy, Fisherman’s Wharf business interests have targeted Haffa and Downey for their support of modernizing the city’s leases by converting ground leases at the wharf to building. Thereby, given the city of Monterey full ownership of the building on the wharf.
"Being a target is not something you seek out, but it’s about standing up and being responsible,” Haffa says. “If I lose over my position on wharf leases I’ll still be able to rest my head easy about doing the right thing.”
Editor's Note: This article originally stated Councilmember Libby Downey raised $700 in campaign funds between July 1 and Sept. 24, and $3,696 for the year. Her amended campaign disclosure statement shows she raised $3,696 for the filing period, not $700. This article has been changed to reflect that.