GILROY
– A combination of out-of-town interests and longtime Gilroyans
make up the contributors lists that are fueling 11 City Council and
mayoral campaigns in the 2003 election.
GILROY – A combination of out-of-town interests and longtime Gilroyans make up the contributors lists that are fueling 11 City Council and mayoral campaigns in the 2003 election.
Although a few candidates have yet to collect donations beyond the reportable $1,000, campaign contribution lists filtered into City Hall in recent days and they reveal an interesting mix of Gilroy – and not so Gilroy – interests.
The following is a peek into campaign pockets of the 11 candidates:
Mayoral race
• Al Pinheiro ($10,635.22)
The incumbent Councilman launched his election bid with nearly $10,000 in his campaign account. While banks and real estate people dominate his contributors list, educators and social workers also show up.
Lonna Martinez, a teacher in San Benito County and a former Gilroy Unified School District trustee, donated $200 to Pinheiro’s campaign. Eleanor Villareal, the manager of Rebekah Children’s Services in Gilroy, put in half that amount. And, current GUSD trustee Bob Kraemer topped them both with a $250 donation.
Other supporters include longtime politician Sig Sanchez ($100), garlic rancher Don Christopher ($200) and Nob Hill markets and Bonfante Gardens founder Michael Bonfante ($200).
• Lupe Arellano ($3,358.43)
Arellano’s statement shows a balance of just more than $2,500, all of it coming from Gilroy supporters although $100 donor Alice Perez is a City of San Francisco employee. Gavilan College counselor Rachel Perez is also listed as a $100 donor.
• Ellyn Atkins has not collected $1,000.
• Mary Hohenbrink has not collected $1,000.
City Council race
• Roland Velasco ($13,554.85)
Velasco’s first campaign contribution statement topped out at $13,000. Like Pinheiro, the incumbent Councilman is getting support from the Bonfante family, Sanchez, Villareal and a host of real estate interests. However, local and out-of-town developers and engineers have put money in the Velasco pot, too.
Ruggeri, Jensen, Azar & Associates, a local traffic engineering firm and KB Home are $250 supporters. Gilroy’s garlic “godfather” Val Filice also donated $250.
• Paul Correa ($5,246)
Correa’s donor list is packed with out-of-town support. Of his 23 donors, only four reside in Gilroy. Among his Gilroy support base is Ernest Filice, owner of the Gilroy Village Shopping Center, who also donated to Velasco.
Correa has strong support from the United Food and Commercial Workers union. Both the local and regional offices forwarded Correa a $250 donation.
• Dion Bracco ($2,600)
The first-time candidate has $2,600 to work with so far. The funds come from one source – his business, Bracco’s Towing.
• Russ Valiquette ($1,588)
Valiquette has carried over more than $1,000 from his unsuccessful 2001 City Council campaign. But adding to the pot is Joan Lewis, a retail manager for Dick Bruhn Redwood Lumber Company and a member of the Gilroy Planning Commission.
• Bruce Morasca ($1,034)
The Morgan Hill grocery store clerk and longtime Gilroyan is in his first campaign but has had little trouble passing the $1,000 threshold. About half of his funds comes from the UFCW local and regional offices.
• Peter Arellano ($426.91)
So far, the Kaiser Permanente physician and incumbent Councilman has $426 in his campaign coffers, a cash balance forwarded over from past campaigns.
• Mark Dover has not collected $1,000.
To view candidates’ campaign statements, visit www.gilroydispatch.com.
