Last week’s filing of campaign finance reports offers another reminder of the great service the Allen County Election Board offers in posting the reports online. Though not required to do so, the board posts copies of the reports as they are submitted. Go to www.allencounty.us/campaign-finance-reporting.
While much of the attention centers on how much each mayoral candidate has raised, seeing who supports which candidate financially offers a measure voters might use. Some tidbits from the reports covering roughly the first quarter of 2011:
•Among the usual big-money Republican supporters, developers Bill Bean and his wife, Ronda Hanning, have the biggest contribution from the first quarter of the year: $10,000 to Liz Brown. Hanning also gave $1,000 to Paula Hughes.
•Richard Freeland, the area Pizza Hut magnate, gave $5,000 to Eric Doden’s campaign. Doden campaign signs have also been spotted at several area Pizza Huts.
•John Popp, a major financial supporter of Matt Kelty four years ago, and his wife, Rolene, gave Brown $1,000. Popp also donated $400 to Hughes’ campaign.
•Keith Busse, CEO of Steel Dynamics, contributed nearly $7,500 of in-kind costs for a Hughes fundraiser.
•Insurance agent Chuck Bodenhafer, frequently a major contributor, gave $150 to Hughes.
•Don McArdle, traditionally a major contributor, doesn’t show up giving to any of the major candidates.
However, McArdle – along with Freeland, Busse and developer John Tippman – is traditionally among the major contributors to the Northeast Indiana Political Action Committee for Better Government. That PAC gave Doden $20,200 so far this year (its report is filed not locally but with the Indiana secretary of state) on top of the $14,000 the PAC gave him last year. The PAC gave Hughes $2,000, and Brown $1,500 this year plus $1,000 last year.
•City Council candidates are typically quiet about whom they support for mayor – when their candidate doesn’t win, the ultimate winner could hold a grudge. But in their campaign donations, council at-large candidate Tom Friestroffer supported Brown with a $200 contribution, while 2nd District council candidate Jerome Gaines gave Brown $100.
Later donations
Candidates who receive donations of $1,000 or more from April 9 – the day after the period covered by the most recent reports – to May 1 must report those “large contributions” within 48 hours of receiving them.
One of the more notable filed since the reports were due came from Bob Walda, one of three Republicans trying to unseat New Haven Mayor Terry McDonald. Walda gave his campaign $3,000 last week, apparently hoping some last-minute spending will help push him past the incumbent.
