Williams continues to lead money chase

ERIC LINDBERG
DAILY SOUND STAFF WRITER

With just under two weeks left until Election Day, the eight candidates vying for one of three seats on the Santa Barbara City Council filed their final round of campaign finance disclosure forms today.
Once again, incumbent Das Williams led the way down the fundraising trail, netting $17,432 in contributions between September 23 and October 20. Incumbents Helene Schneider and Brian Barnwell followed about $3,500 behind, and the three fundraising challengers brought up the rear.

Brian Barnwell
After pulling in $13,102 since September 23, Barnwell has unloaded about $11,615 on his campaign, dropping around $7,700 on campaign literature and $3,900 on radio advertising.
Some notable donations during the last month include another $2,500 infusion from the Santa Barbara Police Officer’s Association, bringing their total contribution to $5,000, and a $400 gift from Planned Parenthood. Santa Barbara Old Town Trolley also chipped in $1,000, as did local real estate appraiser James Hammock.
Over the course of his campaign, Barnwell has brought in $23,523 and spent $15,127.

Dale Francisco
The software engineer took out a $5,000 loan in his name during the last month, bringing his total debt to $15,000. Francisco also received $7,027 in contributions and spent $18,520, leaving his stockpile at about $14,000.
Expenses included $5,000 on campaign literature, $9,300 in agent reimbursements, $7,363 on radio ads and $1,424 on yard signs. Francisco received a $1,000 endorsement from the Lincoln Club of Santa Barbara County in recent weeks, an organization that supports the principles of the Republican Party.

Michelle Giddens
Including a $2,300 loan in her name, Giddens has pulled in 8,950 since late September. Campaign expenditures, including $6,185 on campaign literature and $1,480 on advertising in the Santa Barbara Independent, have drained slightly more than $9,000 from her pockets.
Local Realtors Jerry Beaver and Alan Ebenstein made contributions to Giddens’ campaign. Overall, the challenger has raised $14,375 and spent all but $1,789 since her race for a Council seat began.

Frank Hotchkiss
With $6,415 pouring in to his campaign coffers since September 23, the outspoken Realtor has shelled out $5,775 on his run for a spot on the Council dais.
A good portion of that money, $3,000, has gone to radio advertisements. Hotchkiss also spent close to $1,000 on 250 yard signs, $722 on phone banks and $422 on campaign literature.
Hotchkiss received a $1,000 nod from the Lincoln Club of Santa Barbara County, along with a $1,000 plug from a local dentist, Assad Mora. So far, he’s received $10,314 and spent $6,224.

Helene Schneider
Since the last round of disclosure forms, Schneider has raised nearly $14,000, bringing the total contributions to her campaign to $48,220. She has spent $27,117 of that total, with more than half of those expenditures occurring during the last few weeks.
Campaign literature expenses drew $9,253 from her coffers. She also spent $5,000 on radio airtime and $4,120 on a campaign consultant.
Notable donations during the last month include $1,000 from Allied Waste, $2,500 from the Santa Barbara Police Officers Association, and $5,000 from the SEIU Local 620 (Service Employees International Union).

Das Williams
Continuing to lead the money chase, Williams has netted a total of $72,067 since starting his campaign with about $17,500 pouring in during the last month. Of that total, he’s pulled out about $65,100 for television spots and campaign literature, among other expenses.
Since September 23, Williams spent $16,671 on TV commercials and $6,646 on campaign literature. He also shelled out $1,500 for accounting services.
Among major contributions in recent weeks are a $1,000 jolt from Allied Waste and another $1,000 from Marborg, not to mention $5,000 from the SEIU Local 620 and $4,000 from billionaire Peter Sperling. Planned Parenthood chipped in $400 and Democratic Women of Santa Barbara County added $750.

The remaining two challengers, Robert Hansen and Dan Litten, filed disclosure forms stating they do not plan on raising more than $1,000. During the lead-up to the election, candidates will continue to file late contribution forms for any cash that flows in before November 6. Copies of all campaign disclosure forms are available at the City Clerk’s office upon request.