Friday, October 22, 1999
Council hopefuls spend big
Limits off; donations soar
BY HOWARD WILKINSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
With campaign contribution limits gone, fund-raising in this year's Cincinnati City Council campaign has taken off and is likely to shatter all records for campaign spending.
|
CAMPAIGN CASH
|
Cincinnati City Council candidates have raised $1.9 million in campaign contributions through Oct. 13.
Phil Heimlich ....... $395,105
Pat DeWine ....... 279,406
Charlie Winburn ....... 262,897
Charlie Luken ....... 142,591
Todd Portune ....... 129,960
Minette Cooper ....... 98,092
Forrest Buckley ....... 96,335
Scott Seidewitz ....... 84,760
Diane Goldsmith ....... 83,779
Jim Tarbell ....... 82,735
Jeanette Cissell ....... 69,429
Jane Anderson ....... 60,084
Alicia Reece ....... 47,387
Paul Booth ....... 46,821
Kaye Britton ....... 34,230
Chris Monzel ....... 22,030
Ken Anderson ....... 3,225
|
The pre-election campaign finance reports filed Thursday with the Hamilton County Board of Elections showed that 17 council candidates raised nearly $1.94 million through Oct. 13. That's about $30,000 short of the $1.97 million spent through the entire campaign two years ago.
In 1997, a city law limited donations to $1,000 from individuals and $2,500 from political action committees. In 1995, with no limits, spending was a record $2.32 million.
If council candidates raise and spend money at the same pace through the rest of this campaign, the 1995 record will fall.
Five candidates — three incumbents and two challengers — already have six-figure campaign bank accounts, paced by Republican Phil Heimlich, who reported $395,105 — about the same amount he had two years ago, when he spent $456,352, a record for an individual.
“I expect to spend about the same amount I did last time,” said Mr. Heimlich.
In 1997, Mr. Heimlich was thought to be a contender for the mayor's position, but he ended up finishing sixth in the balloting.
This year, he said, he hopes for a higher finish.
“The stronger my showing, the better the chances for my issues to be heard at council,” Mr. Heimlich said.
The other six-figure candidates are Republican Pat DeWine, a first-time candidate and son of U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine, at $279,406; Republican incumbent Charlie Winburn, $262,897; Democratic challenger Charlie Luken, a former mayor, $142,591; and Democratic incumbent Todd Portune, $129,960.
Not coincidentally, these five have the largest TV advertising buys. That is where the bulk of their money is going, along with slickly produced, demographically targeted mail pieces.
The more money a candidate has, the more high-tech — and expensive — campaigning he or she can do.
Lindners pitch in
The largest single contributor to candidates is financier Carl Lindner, who with his wife, Edyth, has contributed $169,000 — nearly one out of every $10 donated.
In the 1997 election, Mr. Lindner and about a dozen other family members were limited to $1,000 contributions each. But, on this year's cam paign finance reports, the other family members have all but disappeared and the money is coming to candidates Mr. Lindner favors in chunks of $25,000 each.
Six candidates received checks of $25,000 from Mr. Lindner — Democratic incumbent Minette Cooper; Republican incumbents Heimlich, Winburn and Jeanette Cissell; Mr. DeWine; and one Democratic challenger, Mr. Luken. Democratic challenger Alicia Reece received $18,000 from Mr. Lindner and Republican challenger Chris Monzel got $1,000.
Ms. Cooper, Mrs. Cissell, Mr. Heimlich and Mr. Winburn voted last year to remove the contribution limits.
Democratic candidates, in particular, have benefited from the lifting of the contribution limits when it comes to labor money.
Slightly more than half of the $96,335 raised by Democrat Forrest Buckley, the former president of the firefighters union, came from union PACs. Much of it was in amounts that would have been illegal two years ago, including $15,500 from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and $20,600 from the Southwest Ohio District of Carpenters.
Mr. Portune, the sponsor of the campaign contributions limit law council passed in 1995, also benefited from labor and individual contribu tions his law would have prohibited — $10,000 from the carpenters' union, $15,000 from IBEW, and $8,000 from lawyer Stan Chesley.
“As much as I wish we had limits, those are the rules now,” Mr. Portune said.
The unions, Mr. Portune said, “are realizing they have to up the ante to keep up with what the business interests are giving.”
Record-breaker
The fact that total fund-raising so far suggests that this will be a record-breaking year, “shows that campaign contribution limits worked; they held down spending,” Mr. Portune said.
Mr. DeWine's $279,406 amounted to nearly one-third of the total money raised by the 10 non-incumbent candidates.
In addition to his $25,000 from Mr. Lindner, Mr. DeWine picked up a $2,000 contribution from an unexpected source — Mr. Chesley, a Democrat who has raised millions for President Clinton and the Democratic National Committee.
Two independent candidates — Theo Barnes and Sam Malone — did not file campaign finance reports. Candidates who raise or spend less than $1,000 are not required to file. A third independent, Charlie Lee Gardner, filed an incomplete report.
Businesses major backers of school campaigns
$400,000 raised for ballot issues
Council incumbents defend records
On guard against a rapist
Some tips for staying safe
Coming soon: New Fort Washington Way
Council hopefuls spend big
Gun controversy prompts school board to cancel meeting
Leaf-looking at its peak
Miss America speaks for homeless vets
Panel hopes The Banks can get funds
Teens barred from honor club will get $999
City takes on revitalization after years of failed attempts
N.Ky. pushes for community college
Woman killed in work accident
'Bama fan goes to great lengths
GET TO IT
Radio contest challenges rivals
Worship's changing shape
Americana park fined $13,000
Day's poll work can earn $112
Fidelity opens talks for access road
GOP lawmaker to head PR-lobbying operation
Hop like a bunny, earn money
Justice Dept. sues Columbus
Kids just say no to violence
Miami works to boost minority recruitment
Panel offers concepts for mall
Park's debut to be a blast
Taxi-bus outfit blocked in move
TRISTATE DIGEST
Two injured in multivehicle wreck
Walk as One honors minister
Warren areas invited into cable network
