He’s out-raised his opponents by nearly $100,000
CITY HALL — A handful of challengers hoping to win one of four open seats on the Santa Monica City Council this November stepped up fundraising efforts in the first half of October and netted tens of thousands of dollars in donations, reports filed at City Hall last week show.
Seventeen-year resident Bobby Shriver raised $57,000 in the first two weeks of the month. This pushed his fundraising total to more than $162,000 — nearly $100,000 more than any of his opponents. The second highest fundraiser is incumbent Herb Katz, who has amassed about $73,000 in campaign contributions.
For the first half of October, physician Matt Dinolfo and former school board president Patricia Hoffman both brought in more than $10,000, according to documents.
The donations came in checks of $250 or less. By law, local candidates aren’t allowed to accept larger contributions, and they must regularly report where their money comes from and how it’s spent. With the election eight days away, candidates now must report within 24 hours any contributions and expenses.
Several Hollywood luminaries were among those who donated to Shriver, a Kennedy family descendent who has relied upon family and personal connections across the country to beef up his campaign war chest. Included in the recent batch of donors were actors Warren Beatty, Annette Bening, Mel Brooks and Robert DeNiro. Singers Neil Diamond and Jon Bon Jovi also contributed to Shriver this month, as did Motown legend Barry Gordy.
Expenses also played a prominent role in the Shriver campaign. Shriver racked up nearly $83,000 in bills during the first two weeks of the month on mailers, legal counsel, an election fundraiser and a variety of campaign consultants, documents show.
Following Shriver in the fundraising race was Dinolfo, who reported netting $13,300, pushing his campaigning total to more than $50,000. Dinolfo’s contributions came from, among others, City Councilman Herb Katz; Arthur Coppola, the CEO of Macerich Co., which owns Santa Monica Place; Ted Braun, a spokesman for UCLA Hospital; and members of the Slatkin family, who have ownership interests in Shutters on the Beach.
Dinolfo reported spending $2,600 so far this month, mostly on his Web site, a couple of election mailers and advertisements both online and in print.
Hoffman’s campaign also raised more than $10,000 during the first half of October. She brought in $11,600, which pushed her campaign total so far to nearly $20,000. Hoffman’s donations came from, among others, Ruth Elwell, owner of Ye Olde King’s Head; the executives who own Southern California Disposal; Mayor Richard Bloom; and Rent Control Board member Betty Mueller. Hoffman spent $2,100 during the same period, mostly on her campaign consultant, Web site, mailers and election advertisements, according to disclosure reports.
Trailing in fundraising the first half of October were challengers Kathryn Morea, a data analyst who raised $6,113, and Pico neighborhood activist Maria Loya, who brought in $6,050. Former newspaper columnist Bill Bauer reported $2,349 in donations this month. Four other council candidates — Leticia Anderson, Linda Armstrong, David Cole and Jonathan Mann — had nothing to report.
Incumbents also have kept busy at fundraising. City Councilman Ken Genser reported raising more than $25,000 in the first half of October, while Bloom brought in nearly $21,000. City Councilman Herb Katz raised $16,400 in the first part of October, and Michael Feinstein received donations of $2,700. Though Genser and Bloom had almost non-existent war chests before October, Katz already had raised $58,900. Feinstein had reported $22,300 in donations, plus $44,800 he lent to his campaign. He reported lending his campaign an additional $2,000 late last week.
In addition to the money they raise, candidates rely heavily on backing from local political groups, which spend money on their behalf. One major player is the Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights group, which raised $6,400 this month, bringing its year-to-date total to nearly $125,000, the reports show. SMRR, which also benefits from volunteer union canvassers, has thrown its support behind Hoffman, Loya, Bloom and Genser.
Another major player in the pending election just emerged this month. Called Santa Monicans for Change, the group so far has been funded solely by two major local luxury hotels, Casa Del Mar and Shutters on the Beach. It raised $170,000 this month alone to support a slate of candidates also endorsed by the local chamber of commerce. Dinolfo, Katz, Morea and Shriver make up the slate.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 25, 2004. Read the original PDF.