TEMECULA: Thousands brought in for council race
Incumbents cresting $30K; challengers looking to make headway on grassroots budget
By NICOLE SACK - Staff Writer | ∞
TEMECULA ---- Incumbents are outpacing challengers in the fundraising efforts, according to financial disclosure statements, in the contest for two City Council seats this November.
City Councilman Chuck Washington had the largest gains in the reporting period that spans from July 1 to Sept. 30. During that three-month period, Washington, 55, who is seeking a second term, raised $19,856. He also received $8,509 in nonmonetary donations from organizations contributing wine, banquet rooms and catering for his fundraisers.
His political group, the Committee to Elect Chuck Washington, had an ending balance of $35,052.
"A lot of times challengers want to suggest that there is something nefarious about receiving campaign contributions, but it also means that people like you," Washington said. "People have made an investment in my campaign and I am going to work hard not to disappoint them."
Mayor Mike Naggar, 46, pulled in $7,799 worth of donations during the last reporting period. He previously had $35,124 in his "I Like Mike" war chest, and he spent $21,479 in the last three months for printing, mailings and campaign literature.
Naggar's committee has an ending balance of $32,188.
"I'm not out actively raising funds, but people are showing a lot of support," Naggar said.
As far as the need to bring in additional money, he said, "I'm going to wait and see what the challengers are going to do."
Leading the challengers in fundraising is James "Stew" Stewart, who loaned himself $8,000. Stewart, 47, spent $550 on signs, leaving the "Committee to Elect Stew" with an ending balance of $7,450. Stewart had previously said he was more interested in people's votes than their money. He said Thursday that he has begun accepting donations.
"I never wanted to go that route, but I have come to the conclusion that unless you can get your name out to the voters, you won't have an adequate opportunity (to get elected)," Stewart said. "I want to walk away from the election knowing that I did everything I could and that I didn't leave anything on the table."
Stewart said of the incumbents' large bank accounts, "I think they are going to need a lot of money to sell people on voting for them."
Albert Abbott, 29, has accumulated $2,860 since Jan. 1, including a $1,075 loan to himself. Abbott spent $2,012 for printing and filing fees. The Committee to Elect Albert Abbott has an ending balance of $847.
Abbott said he hopes to at least double his fundraising efforts by the election. However, he said he is comfortable with the amount of money he's raised and the sources of those donations to date.
"Most of it has been made up of smaller contributions from individuals, rather than businesses," Abbott said. "We've also been looking for inexpensive ways of advertising, such as on the Internet, in chat rooms and with 'wig-wag' signs (sign twirlers)."
He said that in a presidential election year, the voters will turn out in larger numbers to the polls, which works to the benefit of council candidates.
"I don't think it's how much is spent, but how it is spent," Abbott said.
Rita Hernandez, 73, has declared that she would spend less than $1,000 during the campaign and is not required to file a statement. However, she said she is prepared to amend her statement if she does crest the reporting threshold.
""I haven't received anything near that," she said. "I'm not trying to get into the money bit. My idea is to run this on a grass-roots level and I just want to cover my expenses. We've just been trying to get the word out to the people that we need a change."
Contact staff writer Nicole Sack at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2616, or nsack@californian.com.
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o brother wrote on Oct 12, 2008 4:57 AM:chuck washington said it all. people like him. they invest in him and he does not want to disappoint them. like his buddies with projects before the council. WHO are the donors? what businesses donated and how much?
Transparency wrote on Oct 12, 2008 8:53 AM:Unlike Mr. Stewart, Mr. Abbott and Ms. Hernandez, Naggar and Washington have made public every penny they have received. It is available for viewing in the clerk's office. Don't believe the gossip and rumors. Check it out for yourself.
Preservationist wrote on Oct 12, 2008 9:24 AM:I think the Press Enterprise did a fantastic job "Checking it out". Also, I understand law enforcement agencies are also checking one of the two who are running for reelection.
To Preservationist wrote on Oct 12, 2008 10:04 AM:You are 100% right!! The PE DID do a great job and a thorough investigation -and then they endorsed Mike Naggar and Chuck Washington as the most qualified candidates and suggested that people vote for them.
Change wrote on Oct 12, 2008 9:30 PM:Please vote for Abbott and Stew!!!
Change is sometimes good!!!
PE Endorsement wrote on Oct 13, 2008 11:24 AM:The Edorsement of Naggar and Washington was as luke warm as it could get. It also stated that they need to clear up the questions about Rancon connections. Havewn't heard either one, Washington or Naggar address those question. I'll bet I know why.
c wrote on Oct 13, 2008 11:30 AM:We need change in Temecula, Just like the rest of the US Governement. The leaders of this community that failed to annex the surrounding areas and control the growth created this foreclosure problem. We new fresh new business people running this community to get it back on track. Annex the areas like Silverhawk and French Valley, control growth, stop the 1/2 strips malls and clean the area in general
Not Good wrote on Oct 14, 2008 5:16 PM:As I approache the intersection of
Meadowview & De Portola I watched as
a man gets out of a white truck and takes a Stew sign and another sign,
placeing them in back of his truck and drives away.
What happened to candidates right to
have their signs displayed.
I wonder who would do a thing like this.....
Preservationist wrote on Oct 14, 2008 9:01 PM:The exact thing happened to Henry Miller when he ran for the city council. Next time you see that, try to get a license number.
DePortola neighbor wrote on Oct 15, 2008 11:20 AM:You probably saw a code enforcement officer (who drives a white truck) taking a sign out of the right of way, or off private property if the owner had not given permission to the person to put up a sign. You can't just put signs up ANYWHERE, you know. Why are you so anxious to blame someone?
Preservationist wrote on Oct 15, 2008 2:37 PM:Wow, Chuck Washington and Mike Naggar must own a lot op property in Temecula, because I see their signs everywhere. DePortola neighbor, code enforcement trucks have the seal of the city on them, and are marked as official vehicles. If it had been a code enforcement officer doing this, it would have been real obvious.
To DePortola neighbor wrote on Oct 15, 2008 5:02 PM:Because I can and it is probably the
truth. And also every corner must be owned by the city...and the truck did not have any seal on it. It makes
you stop and think, something the
great city officials do not do!
Who Cares About De Portola wrote on Oct 16, 2008 9:41 AM:Temecula problems and questions have gone way beyond signs. Vote the bums out. New approch is necessary. In four years it the New Guys blow it(Newbies as our mayor called them), we'll through them out. To many questions left unanswerd about developer influence.
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