Following the Money
A final look at campaign-contribution filings for the Place 2 and 6 races reveals few quirks or surprises, but there are a few. Incumbents Raul Alvarez and Danny Thomas have both easily outraised their opponents, but Alvarez has raised almost six times as much money as Thomas and spent 10 times as much. Alvarez scored cash from environmentalists, neighborhood advocates, and central-city citizens, but also from some unlikely sources — notably Ken Rigsbee. As Circle C Homeowners Association Secretary/Treasurer, Rigsbee strongly supported the controversial settlement reached last summer between the city and Stratus Properties; Alvarez provided the only vote against it.
Challenger Gavino Fernandez — who entered the race at the last minute and temporarily dropped out a few weeks ago — hadn’t turned in his eighth-day (before the election) report as of press time. “I don’t think he’s going to [file it],” said a spokeswoman from the city clerk’s office. “Apparently he’s told our office he doesn’t expect to collect any campaign contributions.”
Over in Place 6, incumbent Danny Thomas has racked up $11,186, mainly from individual citizens but also the Austin Police Association and the Austin Apartment Association PACs. Individual contributors include Charlie Betts of the Downtown Austin Alliance and Envision Central Texas honcha Beverly Silas.
On the Libertarian front, Place 6 candidate Wes Benedict has proven more successful at fundraising than Place 2 contender Steven Adams — but nonetheless is spending more than he’s receiving. (Strangely, all of Benedict’s contributors are men.) Adams, in fiscally conservative fashion, reported $100 in contributions and the same amount in expenditures. At least he can balance a budget.
Council Campaign Cash
All figures cumulative as reported by April 25.
Mayor / Raised / Spent
Brad Meltzer / 12,918 / 249,468
Will Wynn / 143,604 / 153,155
Marc Katz* / 3,050 / 33,356
Max Nofziger / 7,482 / 8,536
Leslie Cochran / 135 / 500
Jennifer Gale / 256 / 256
Place 2
Raul Alvarez / 64,557 / 48,401
Gavino Fernandez* / 850 / 1,149
Steven Adams / 100 / 100
Place 5
Brewster McCracken / 138,816 / 120,558
Margot Clarke / 26,677 / 45,968
Carl Tepper / 7,155 / 5,942
Steve Swanson / 5,425 / 5,887
Scott Marks / 2,765 / 2,540
Robert Singleton / 900 / 1,894
Jason Pate / 1,613 / 1,166
Place 6
Danny Thomas / 11,186 / 4,693
Wes Benedict / 895 / 3,855
*As of press time, Katz and Fernandez had not filed their April 25 reports. Mayoral candidates Christopher Keating and Herman Luckett have not filed any campaign finance reports.
This article appears in May 2 • 2003.