Majority of funding going to local measures not candidates

As the Nov. 8 election nears, BenitoLink looks at where candidates are getting their funding from and who is funding both sides of Measures Q and R. Filing information for local races is from July 1 to Sept. 30. Filing for the Congressional race covers through Sept. 30 and state Assembly covers through Sept. 29. Late filing results in a $10 a day fine up to $100. 

The next filing deadline is Oct. 27.

18th Congressional District 

Zoe Lofgren has raised $1,679,466 

Top contributors 

• Alphabet Inc.— $100,450
• Fragomen, Del Rey, et al.— $76,075
• Cisco Systems— $61,450
• Apple Inc—$36,500
• Meta (Facebook)— $23,550 

Her opponent Peter Hernandez raised $167,989 but no contributors are listed on the reporting website. 

Assembly District 29

Incumbent Robert Rivas reported $199,435.

Contributions of $7,700 

• Peace Officers Research Association Of California

Contributions of $4,999

• Jinghao Yan (Facebook) 
• Michael Greenfield
• John Ye
• Ethan Beard
• Amber Fing
• Preston Tollinger 
• Jenan Wise
• Eli Pollak 
• Philip Levin ($4,700)
• William Elhage
• Max Henderson 
• Hilary Shirazi (Pinterest)
• Miles Lasater
• Thomas Smith 
• Amazon.com Service
• GFL Courage Committee SF ($4,000)
• GFL Courage Committee LA 
• Govern for California Courage
• Harbor Distributing 
• Sempra Energy 
• PG&E
• California State Council of Laborers PAC ($4,850)
• Mark Heising (two contributions of $4,900)
• Mark Merrill
• Ashley Merrill
• David Strauss (Pantheon) 
• Doug Abbey ($4,400)
• Richard Tinsley 
• Tali Rapaport
• David Crane (Govern for California)
• M. Quinn Delaney

Contributions of $3,000-$4,000

• Foster Poultry Farm
• Stuart McLaughlin
• Brain Singerman
• California Hospital Association PAC
• Evan Goldin

Contributions of $2,000-$3,000

• Farmers Group Inc
• Farmer Group Inc PAC
• AT&T
• CalPac
• Personal Insurance Federation of California Agents and Employees PAC
• Blue Diamond Growers PAC
• Aston Motes
• Muhammad Mahmood
• Laura Spiekerman
• Tom Hale 
• Laura Lauder
• Ross Fubini
• Comcast Financial Agency
• Ei DuPont De Nemours & Co. 

Contributions of $1,000-$2,000

• Reed Hastings (Netflix)
• Paramount Pictures
• Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
• Humboldt Redwood Co. LLC
• Political Action for Classified Employees of California Schools Employees Association 
• Centene Management Co. 
• General Motors USA
• California Corrections Peace Officers Association PAC
• TechNet Political Action Committee
• Genentech
• Granite Construction Company 
• California Defense Council PAC
• Universal Music Group
• Associated General Contractors PAC of California
• Transit Union PAC
• California Conference Board
• Standing Committee of Political Education of the California Labor Federation AFL
• Continental Casualty Committee

Stephanie Castro, who is opposing Rivas, has not filed.

San Benito County Board of Supervisors District 1

Incumbent Betsy Dirks has raised $4,199. She received her largest contribution of $2,500 from Julie Bonnet and a $1,500 donation form Hollister Fire Association. Two other donations are listed with the county: $100 from Leslie Austin and $99 from Victor Gomez. 

Her opponent Dom Zanger raised $1,598. He lists a donation from Michael Zanger for $999 and a $100 donation from Isabella Zanger. Two donations for $200 are listed, one from Cary Blevins and the other from Elia Munoz-Cowan. 

Hollister Mayor

Neither incumbent Ignacio Velasquez nor his opponent, Mia Casey, filed for this period.

Hollister City Council District 2

Incumbent: Rolan Resendez. Opponents: Celeste Toledo-Bocanegra, Hani Mayzouni, Sergio Montanez.

No candidate has filed for this period.

Hollister City Council District 3

Incumbent: Dolores Morales. Opponent: Rosalinda Sanchez.

No candidate has filed for this period.

SJB City Council at-large

Jose Aranda, Edwin Sabathia, Jackie Morris-Lopez, Steve Harris, Leslie Q. Jordan

No candidate has filed for this period.

Gavilan College Board of Trustee Area 7 

Incumbent Irma Gonzalez reported a $1,000 contribution from William Lee. Her opponent Jose Martinez-Saldana reported $3,195.47 from four contributions from himself.

SBC Water District Division 1

Incumbent: John Tobias. Opponents: Keith Snow, Mark Wright

No candidate has filed for this period.

SBC Water District Division 4

Incumbent: Douglas Williams. Opponent: Robert Gilchrist Huenemann

No candidate has filed for this period.

Yes on Measure Q 

Measure Q has received $29,461. The largest donations, $10,000 and $9,000, came from Campaign to Protect San Benito.

Save Mount Diablo reported giving Campaign to Protect San Benito $10,000.

Contributions of $3,000 

• Charlotte Creiner

Contributions of $1,000

• Andy Hsia-Coron
• Mary Hsia-Coron

Contributions of $800 

• Wendy Elder

Contributions of  $500

• Rob Mendiola

Contributions of $300 

• Cara Vonk

Contributions of $250 

• Mark Gibson

Contributions of $200

• David Simons
• Peter Munoz-Cowan
• Elia Munoz-Cowan
• Robert Harmssen
• Jane Dabo Cruz

Contributions of $100

• Kari Skow ($149)
• Brigitte Bauman-Thorp
• Demetrio Pruneda
• Laura Solorio 
• James Leap
• Larry Rebecchi
• Mary Zanger
• Sam Farr
• Shelly Geisler
• Catherine Marla Courtney Anderson
• Paul Centeno

No on Measure Q:

Neighbors to Preserve San Benito has reported raising $202,375 this calendar year, including $70,775 this filing period (Sept. 25 through Oct. 22). The largest contributors are labor unions such as California Alliance for Jobs- Rebuild California Committee ID#1241892 ($30,000), Northern California Carpenters regional Council Issues PAC ID#1219354 ($10,000), Operating Engineers Local Union No. 3 Issues Advocacy/Ballot Initiative PAC ID#134 ($10,000) and Build Jobs PAC Issues Committee ID#1390695 ($5,000).

Contributions of $3,500

• San Benito Business Council: 3,500
• San Benito County Farm Bureau: 3,500

Contributions of $1,500:

• Plasters’ & Cement Masons’ Local 300
• Mary Filice

Contributions of $1,000

• Fairview Farming Co. Inc.
• Church Brothers
• RJA

Contributions of $500

• Scott Fuller: $500

Contributions of $250

• F&F Family
• Frank Guerra
• Guerra Nut Shelling Co. 
• Guerra Orchard 

Contributions of $175

• Wayne Norton
• Maria [Mia] Casey
• Kris Waller
• Robert Tiffany

Contributions of $100

• Graham Mackie
• Benjamin Combs
• Ross and Bette Hagins
• Sally Tiffany
• Graham Mackie
• Robert Gibson

Non monetary contributions 

• NPLC SB Investment Co. LLC (John Patterson) -$45.92
• Pacific Rim Real Estate Group, LLC (John Patterson)-$524.80
• PRP Land LLC (John Patterson)- $5,904
• Rob LLC (John Patterson)- $34.11
• Rockne Construction, Inc. -$51.17

Yes on Measure R

Committee For Equitable Growth reports no funding for this period but has listed $49,500 in funding prior to July  1. They also reported two $25,000 donations on Oct. 13. One $25,000 from Valerie Campbell on Oct 12 and another $25,000 from James Campbell on Oct 13. The Campbells’ address lists them as residents of Dallas, Texas. 

Residents for a Safe and Healthy Community reported receiving $40,000 from the Committee for Equitable Growth ID#1448472 on Oct. 6. This calendar year it reports receiving $100,598 including $49,000 from Paul Allen (co-owner of McGuire Builders, Inc in Torrance, Ca) and $49,400 from Committee for Equitable Growth ID#1448472 in May 2.

No on Measure R

Keep San Benito Families Safe reported contributions of $124.850 between January and Sept. 24. The major contributor is Bristol SB, LLC ($131,060) out of Newport Beach, including $6,560 in non monetary contributions. Other contributors include Cement Masons Local Union 400 PAC ID#1223458 ($250) and Northern California Construction Teamsters PAC ID#1385311 ($100). 

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