Category Archives: Benicia City Council

Details: Benicia candidates file new campaign finance reports

By Roger Straw, October 26, 2018

New income sources and campaign expenses revealed on City of Benicia website

Details & highlights

Total cash raised Sept 23 – Oct 22
Birdseye $6,020 (Total $20,454)
Largaespada $1,948 (Total $20,984)
Strawbridge $5,812 + self loan of $4,000 (Total $23,797)

Total expenses Sept 23 – Oct 22
Birdseye $5,804 (Total $17,075)
Largaespada $6,733 (Total $14,348)
Strawbridge $10,333 (Total $24,354)

Cash on hand
Birdseye $3,378
Largaespada $5,569
Strawbridge $5,463

Interesting details
Benicia contributions: Birdseye 32 (avg. $140), Largaespada 5 (avg. $270), Strawbridge 15, (avg. $305)
Non-Benicia contributions: Birdseye 6 (avg $258), Largaespada 2 (avg. $300), Strawbridge 5 (avg. $246)
Contributions $500 or more: Birdseye 3 ($1,580), Largaespada 1 (500), Strawbridge 3 ($1,620)

Campaign Finance Reports, from the City’s website
(bold = new as of 10/25/2018):

Birdseye_Semi_Annual_Form_460.pdf

Birdseye_Pre_Election_1_Form_460.pdf

Birdseye_Form_460_Pre_Election_2.pdf

BPOA_2018_Semi_Annual_Form_460_1.pdf

BPOA_Semi_Annual_Form_460_2(1).pdf

BPOA_Form_460_Pre_Election_2.pdf

BPOA_Form_496_1.pdf

BPOA_Form_496_2.pdf

Campbell_2017_Annual_Form_470.pdf

Emes_Pre_Election_Form_470.pdf

Hughes_2018_Form_460_Semi_Annual_1.pdf

Hughes_Semi_Annual_Form_460_2.pdf

Largaespada_2018_Semi_Annual_Form_460_1.pdf

Largaespada_Semi_Annual_Form_460_2(1).pdf

Largaespada_Pre_Election_1_Form_460.pdf

Largaespada_Form_460_Pre_Election_2.pdf

Patterson_Legal_Defense_2018_Semi_Annual_Form_460_1.pdf

Patterson_Mayor_2018_Semi_Annual_Form_460_1.pdf

Patterson_Mayor_Semi_Annual_420__2.pdf

Patterson_Freedom_of_Speech_Legal_Defense_Termination_Form_460.pdf

Paulk_Annual_Form_470_2017.pdf

Schwartzman_2017_Annual_Form_470.pdf

Strawbridge_2018_Semi_Annual_Form_460_1.pdf

Strawbridge_Semi_Annual_Form_460_2(1).pdf

Strawbridge_Pre_Election_1Form_460.pdf

Strawbridge_Form_460_Pre_Election_2.pdf

Wolfe_2017_Annual_Form_470.pdf

Young__2017_Annual_Form_470.pdf

 

Benicia candidates file new campaign finance reports

By Roger Straw, October 26, 2018
[LATER – See details HERE.  – R.S.]

New finance sources revealed on City of Benicia website

No time for analysis this morning, but here is the entire listing of campaign finance reports from the City’s page.  I have placed the new reports in boldface.  Check back later for details.  – R.S.

Birdseye_Semi_Annual_Form_460.pdf

Birdseye_Pre_Election_1_Form_460.pdf

Birdseye_Form_460_Pre_Election_2.pdf

BPOA_2018_Semi_Annual_Form_460_1.pdf

BPOA_Semi_Annual_Form_460_2(1).pdf

BPOA_Form_460_Pre_Election_2.pdf

BPOA_Form_496_1.pdf

BPOA_Form_496_2.pdf

Campbell_2017_Annual_Form_470.pdf

Emes_Pre_Election_Form_470.pdf

Hughes_2018_Form_460_Semi_Annual_1.pdf

Hughes_Semi_Annual_Form_460_2.pdf

Largaespada_2018_Semi_Annual_Form_460_1.pdf

Largaespada_Semi_Annual_Form_460_2(1).pdf

Largaespada_Pre_Election_1_Form_460.pdf

Largaespada_Form_460_Pre_Election_2.pdf

Patterson_Legal_Defense_2018_Semi_Annual_Form_460_1.pdf

Patterson_Mayor_2018_Semi_Annual_Form_460_1.pdf

Patterson_Mayor_Semi_Annual_420__2.pdf

Patterson_Freedom_of_Speech_Legal_Defense_Termination_Form_460.pdf

Paulk_Annual_Form_470_2017.pdf

Schwartzman_2017_Annual_Form_470.pdf

Strawbridge_2018_Semi_Annual_Form_460_1.pdf

Strawbridge_Semi_Annual_Form_460_2(1).pdf

Strawbridge_Pre_Election_1Form_460.pdf

Strawbridge_Form_460_Pre_Election_2.pdf

Wolfe_2017_Annual_Form_470.pdf

Young__2017_Annual_Form_470.pdf

Anti-Birdseye spending increases again today…

By Roger Straw, October 25, 2018

Yet more anti-Birdseye expenditures

News gets old fast around here… Just yesterday, the City of Benicia posted on its website, three new Valero/labor PAC Expenditure Reports.

Today we learned that Valero/labor submitted three MORE expenditure reports in their bid to buy a seat on Council! The PAC is up to 17 expenditure reports now (and the original 5 income reports).

The three new reports today show additional expenses for robo calls (with script by former police Lieutenant Scott Przekurat) and new digital ads (LL & CS smiling-faces alongside an unfounded put-down of Kari Birdseye.

One expenditure report also shows new income of $800 from Alfred Conhagen Inc., a Benicia hydraulic repair service that I assume must do a huge business with Valero.

The reports show cumulative totals for LL $28,874, CS $20,586, and Anti-Birdseye $18,836. Lots of money left – they have amassed a total of $155,000 now, more than five times what an individual candidate is allowed to spend on a campaign.

Anti-Birdseye outside money – 3 new expenditure reports

By Roger Straw, October 24, 2018

Valero / Labor PAC alters its telephone script and shows new video ads

Three NEW Expenditure Forms 496 were posted on the City of Benicia website Tuesday, showing amended costs, new negative phone calling scripts and new tv ads bought by the anti-Birdseye PAC.

This round of phone calls focuses on local jobs, and makes unsubstantiated claims against Kari Birdseye while praising her opponents.  The ads show Birdseye’s opponents’ faces along with a positive message rather than Birdseye’s face with negative message.  They must believe the damage is done – or that the blatantly negative ads were not helping their cause.

The reports posted by the City are simply listed by number without much guidance for voters.  I’ll try to sort it out below, with new totals.  (I confess, however, that I have no idea why the PAC’s costs are less now than in previous reports – it makes no sense…)

In summary, the PAC is still absolutely LOADED for more big campaign expenditures during these final weeks before election day.

TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS: $154,200
LESS EXPENDITURES TO DATE: $25,124.81
YET TO BE SPENT:  $129,075.19
NEW EXPENDITURE REPORTS – AMENDMENTS (as of Oct. 24)

  • Anti-Birdseye_PAC_Form_496_12.pdf
    EXPENDITURE AMENDMENT PRO-LARGAESPADA: Winning Connection calls $8,288.75 on 10/16 (showing a new telephone script) (cumulative to date $25,124.81) as amended on 10/22
  • Anti-Birdseye_PAC_Form_496_13.pdf
    EXPENDITURE AMENDMENT PRO-LARGAESPADA (but actually showing photocopies of new digital ads for STRAWBRIDGE): Digital Turf media buy $4,689 on 10/13 (cumulative to date $25,124.81); Digital Turf ad production $2,000 on 10/13 (cumulative to date $25,124.81)
  • Anti-Birdseye_PAC_Form_496_14.pdf
    EXPENDITURE AMENDMENT PRO-LARGAESPADA (showing photocopies of new digital ads for LARGAESPADA): Digital Turf media buy $4,689 on 10/13 (cumulative to date $25,124.81); Digital Turf ad production $2,000 on 10/13 (cumulative to date $25,124.81)TOTAL EXPENDITURES TO DATE: $25,124.81

CONTRIBUTIONS (as of Oct. 24, no change since Oct. 18)

PREVIOUSLY REPORTED EXPENDITURES (through Oct. 18)

  • Anti-Birdseye_PAC_Form_496_1.pdf
    PRO-STRAWBRIDGE: Winning Connections calls $5,166.67 on 10/10; Valero Use of Poll $4,733.34 on 10/10
  • Anti-Birdseye_PAC_Form_496_2.pdf
    PRO-LARGAESPADA: Winning Connections calls $5,166.67 on 10/10; Valero Use of Poll $4,733.34 on 10/10
  • Anti-Birdseye_PAC_Form_496_3.pdf
    ANTI-BIRDSEYE: Winning Connections calls $5,166.67 on 10/10; Valero Use of Poll $4,733.34 on 10/10
  • Anti-Birdseye_PAC_Form_496_4.pdf
    ANTI-BIRDSEYE: Digital Turf media buy $4,689 on 10/11 (cumulative to date $16,589); Digital Turf ad production $2,000 on 10/11 (cumulative to date $16,589)
  • Anti-Birdseye_PAC_Form_496_5.pdf
    PRO-STRAWBRIDGE: Digital Turf media buy $4,689 on 10/13 (cumulative to date $16,589); Digital Turf ad production $2,000 on 10/13 (cumulative to date $16,589)
  • Anti-Birdseye_PAC_Form_496_6.pdf
    PRO-LARGAESPADA: Digital Turf media buy $4,689 on 10/13 (cumulative to date $16,589); Digital Turf ad production $2,000 on 10/13 (cumulative to date $16,589)
  • Anti-Birdseye_PAC_Form_496_7.pdf
    AMENDMENT TO 496-1 PRO-STRAWBRIDGE Winning Connection calls $5,413.73 (not $5,166.67) and (cumulative to date $16,836.07); Heat & Frost contribution of $20,000 (not $30,000) on 10/16
  • Anti-Birdseye_PAC_Form_496_8.pdf
    AMENDMENT TO 496-2 PRO-LARGAESPADA: Winning Connections calls $5,413.73 (not $5,166.67) and (cumulative to date $16,836.07) on 10/16
  • Anti-Birdseye_PAC_Form_496_9.pdf
    AMENDMENT TO 496-3 ANTI-BIRDSEYE: Winning Connections calls $5,413.73 (not $5,166.67) and (cumulative to date $16,836.07) on 10/16
  • Anti-Birdseye_PAC_Form_496_10.pdf
    AMENDMENT TO 496-4 ANTI-BIRDSEYE: Digital Turf media buy and ad production (and cumulative to date $16,836) on 10/15
  • Anti-Birdseye_PAC_Form_496_11.pdf
    NEW EXPENDITURE PRO-LARGAESPADA: Winning Connection calls $9,000 (cumulative to date $25,836.06) on 10/16
    TOTAL EXPENDITURES REPORTED AS OF OCT 18: $25,836.06