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The final comprehensive campaign finance reports required ahead of next week’s election are out now, offering additional insight to the public on the backers of campaigns for the three different competitive races on the ballot for San Ramon voters.
Campaign finance information reported through Oct. 19 suggests a significant amount of support for Measure N, the proposed 1% sales tax measure aimed at aiding with the city’s ongoing budget struggles, with the Yes campaign seeing hefty contributions amounting to a six-figure budget, and without a comprehensive No campaign reporting any funding.
Meanwhile, candidates for the mayor’s seat and District 1 council seat – set to be vacated by longtime incumbents Dave Hudson and Scott Perkins, respectively, at the end of the year – are proceeding with relatively small budgets between $2,000 and $22,000 in the final stretch before Election Day.
“Residents for San Ramon” – the Yes on Measure N campaign – reported $123,665 in total monetary contributions as of Oct. 19, $49,000 of which came between Oct. 1 and Oct. 19 according to campaign finance data from the city.
Funding in the most recent report was bolstered by a $25,000 contribution from Sunset Development Company on Oct. 9. Other top contributors in the most recent filing were San Jose-based Rosendin Electric Inc. with $15,000 and San Ramon-based Edgewood Partners Insurance Center with $5,000.
Other major contributions over the course of the campaign have included $10,000 from Sacramento resident and Allied Universal COO Mike Smidt, $10,000 from Redwood City-based ABM and $5,000 from ABM vice president Aaron Corrales, $5,000 from Trumark Homes, $5,000 from Palo Alto-based George M. Marcus and Affiliated Entities, $3,500 from San Ramon-based Carlson, Barbee and Gibson Inc., $2,500 from Livermore resident Garrett Baxley, $5,000 from Tracy resident Samuel Perry, $5,000 from San Francisco resident Lawrence Booth, and $5,000 from Oakland-based George E. Master Inc.
While the Yes campaign has seen a steady stream of cash since its inception, this month’s $25,000 contribution from Sunset Development is the largest to date.
The two mayoral candidates – Mark Armstrong and Chirag Kathrani – have received similar amounts of campaign contributions, reporting $19,927 and $18,548 respectively as of Oct. 19.
While Armstrong’s contributions have outpaced Kathrani’s overall during the course of their campaigns, the most recent reporting period saw Kathrani rake in significantly more in new donations than Armstrong, with the former reporting a total of $8,222 raised between Sept. 22 and Oct. 19 and the latter reporting $625.
Armstrong’s contributors in the most recent report consist of two San Ramon residents, one Dublin resident, and the Lincoln Club of Northern California PAC.
Kathrani was among the top contributors to his own campaign in the most recent filing period with $2,000. Cupertino resident Tara Sreekrishnan, legislative director for the California State Senate, also contributed a total of $3,498. Cupertino residents Krish Ellath and Anita Krishnan were also among the top contributors, with $1,000 and $999 respectively. Of the San Ramon residents who donated during the most recent period, the largest was a $500 contribution from Kismat Kathrani.
The discrepancy in overall campaign cash for the two City Council candidates vying to succeed Perkins was much more significant, with Vasanth Shetty reporting $21,693 in overall contributions as of Oct. 19 – the most of any of the four candidates in the two competitive races – and Robert Jweinat reporting $1,100 total as of Oct. 19 – the lowest of any of the four candidates in the two competitive races.
Shetty’s campaign raised $6,873 in the most recent reporting period compared with a single $500 donation to Jweinat’s campaign in the same timeframe. That money was primarily in the form of smaller contributions ranging from $100 to $500 from numerous Tri-Valley residents, as well as a $2,500 donation from San Rafael-based America4Hindus.
While Jweinat’s campaign has seen relatively little cash flow in comparison, the total contribution amount nearly doubled following a $1,000 donation on Oct. 24 from the California Real Estate PAC, bringing his total in campaign cash to $2,100 as of Oct. 30.
With the exception of contributions of $1,000 or more that must be reported within 24 hours of receipt – such as Jweinat’s Oct. 24 donation – filings for the period between Sept. 22 and Oct. 19 are the last comprehensive campaign finance reports set to be released ahead of the upcoming election. Additional reports are due on Jan. 25, Feb. 22, and July 31.
