Blogs > Saratogian Newsroom

The Saratogian Newsroom blog, complete with thoughts and commentary from our newsroom staff and regular posts on happenings around town.

Tuesday, July 23

Campaign Finance fun


It occurs to me that this break-out box (as they are called) that appeared in print never made it online. I wrote a story on the mayor's race, but here is what all of the other city politicians have been doing:


Office         Candidate Starting balance     $ Raised      $ Spent
Accounts        John Franck $8,636 $7,798 $2,556

         John Arpei $0 $100 $0





Public Safety   Christian Mathiesen $3,372 $0 $76

       Richard Wirth $31 $6,291 $1,083





Public Works     Anthony "Skip"     Scirocco $949 $9,273 $2,022

  William McTygue $0 $9,977 $1,080





Finance    Michele Madigan $2,386 $6,939 $2,684






A few things to point out.


John Franck seems to have the most money on hand of any candidate (except those for mayor). Most of his money has come in $100 and $200 contributions, though there is one $2,323 unitemized entry from February, which is likely his annual fundraiser.


John P. Arpei's $100 reported Monday was contributed by John P. Arpei, but then he only officially announced he was running two weeks ago.

Christian Mathiesen didn't just not raise or spend any money as of Monday, but he filed a "no activity statement" last week indicating he hadn't done any fundraising or spending between the January and July periodic filings. The "Starting balance" was actually from his January disclosure.


Richard Wirth received mostly small contributions with two notable exceptions: $1,000 from both Leon Pokoik from Sarasota, Fla., and the Saratoga Springs Republican Committee. I also noticed a couple police officers on his list, but they were for under $100 apiece.


Anthony "Skip" Scirocco's money has come with a few big contributions. There was a $500 from Minerva Coins and Jewelry and a $1,000 from the Saratoga County Republican Committee. He also has a list of unitemized: one for $4,019 from June and another for $500 even from April. The latter seems a little odd to me, since they are usually aggregate numbers from small donations or transfers...


William McTygue started with nothing earlier this year and raised about the same amount as Scirocco between January and July. Most of it came in small contributions, though there were two $500 ones from Charles Morrison and Bonnie Design. There was also an unitemized donation from July for $2,618.


Despite not having an opponent, Michele Madigan has raised a relatively substantial sum in the last six months. Her biggest single contributor was the Police Benevolent Association (She also has managed to get more cops hired, so you know…) with $1,000. She was the only candidate they contributed to. She also received a $445 contribution from Sheila A’Hearn.

She also received unitemized contributions of $245, $975 and $1,374, all on the same day in March.

If you are interested, visit the Board of Elections website and type in the name of the candidate you want to look at.  When the next screen comes up, you can look at all of the individual pieces of the candidate's fundraising committee.

For donations, scroll to the bottom and select the year you want. Then click "Get List" to see contributors that year.

Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,

8 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

It is interesting that Scirocco and McTygue raised such similar sums.

I am beginning to wonder of Arpei is even a real candidate.

Most of Madigan's contributions have been small doners, but for some reason you didn't point that out, though you make a negative inference about the PBA donation. They also endorsed her in 2011 and have given her money before. Also, she had a silent auction at her fundraiser, so there were a lot of "in kind" donations of the items donated for that. Sheila A'Hearn donated lots of art work, which sold for $445 in total. Its all right thee on the filing at the BoE.

July 23, 2013 at 7:56 PM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great job! I loved the link to the Board of elections. I see on the list of contributors for Rick Wirth(less) that a traffic sgt. With the police department donated, I wonder what he is looking for or what commissioner Matthiessen did not give him? I also noticed that skip dudla and Tom Curley have not made cash donations. I hope the voters will know that they are still behind wirths campaign. They still meet and dudla will be back in the deputy comm. spot again. Please, please, don't vote wirthless back in office.

July 24, 2013 at 5:28 AM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Appears Bonnie Design is attempting to get her husband his old position back.Kind of an interesting scenario that the individuals who set up Tommy are now supporting Billy and looking for work. It almost makes your stomach turn to see the games being played Have people no integrity or pride. The MO seems to be they tell you one thing and do the opposite.Guess that's how the game is played. Look at Eddie Miller. He committed to his Independence candidate for County Supervisor and than stabbed him in the back for a deal with Peter Martin. There are so many pretenders running for office who lack any level of integrity but very large egos I'm not sure the city can absorb all the BS at the same time.

July 24, 2013 at 6:21 AM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sutton's "contributors" so far are primarily made by the monied elite and the County Republican Committee and, of course, Johnson.

It will be interesting to follow the $ as this campaign goes forward. Look to see if the law firms that Sutton and Johnson have hired over the last six years contribute and how much so they can keep their privileged status.

One thousand dollar contributions have also come from her in-laws, Mimi Dowd and Kathy Dowd. If Sutton were to win, she will be wedded to the County Republican hierarchy and her friend Helwig, the County Administrator, who has painted the County into a fiscal corner in his role as Budget Officer.

It is no secret that he and some members of the Board of Supervisors would like to get their hands back into our sales tax pocket - now worth over $10 million a year - to help offset their fiscal problems.

Then, of course, is her and Johnson's bashing of the governor. A foolish position to take given his resurrection - with Yepsen's lobbying - of our VLT revenue.

July 24, 2013 at 9:13 AM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

9:13 - You deal with fantasy not facts.
Fact - VLT revenue was due to Roy McDonald's relationship with the governor. The Casino plan is flawed and will destroy racing in the State. Has Yepsen taken a position on this issue. She won't. No backbone and has never shown any level of accountability.

Fact - Saratoga Springs now #4 in sales tax dollars in the County. There is no way the County could touch those dollars.

Fact - Curley and Dudla not behind Rick Wirth actively nor behind the scenes. There is NO chance Dudla will be deputy.

Fact - Hellwig is not budget officer. He is County Administrator.

Fact - Several FF's went to Wirth's fundraiser along with Police. Reason - There is a strong need for fiscal and operational management in DPS. Very simple and accurate.

July 26, 2013 at 5:09 AM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

John Franck is utilizing the same attornies for his case as does the Mayor for Union Contracts. Does that make John and Shauna similar or are they the best available and very reasonable with their rates.Ignorance unfortunately is no excuse for fabrication of personal scenarios.

July 26, 2013 at 5:13 AM 
Blogger Unknown said...

I let the comment through from 9:13 that posts a number of "facts" but I just wanted to make it clear that they were not vetted by me.

Also, Yepsen has at least weighed in on the casino issue a few times, including this Reader's View that ran in The Saratogian two months ago.

http://www.saratogian.com/articles/2013/05/29/opinion/doc51a63df052f15038575899.txt

July 28, 2013 at 4:31 PM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

@ 5:09
Fact - Several FF's went to Wirth's fundraiser along with Police. Reason - There is a strong need for fiscal and operational management in DPS. Very simple and accurate.

Here's a fact - If there were Cops and Fireman at Wirth's fundraiser, its because their looking for a promotion or trying to protect their overtime. It's no secret the Mathiesen has stopped the practice of promoting politically connected people who are not qualified and is working very hard to control overtime. That's a fact jack!

August 4, 2013 at 3:11 PM 

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home