To the surprise of none but, no doubt, to the disappointment of a goodly number, Andy Weissman, the putative favorite in this spring’s City Council race, is the runaway leader at the end of the first financial filing period.
With only four of the nine candidates required to produce an accounting by Jan. 31, Mr. Weissman was converting his prominence into dollars.
He led large in every significant category:
Most money raised — $16, 957.
Cash on hand — $13,096.
Number of donors — 62.
Number of maximum-gift donors — 17.
In each of those divisions, Mr. Weissman, a Planning Commissioner and the best-known personality in the field, virtually lapped his competition.
If money is crucial in a small-town election with nine contestants chasing three seats in the April 8 election, so is the number of givers.
Wide Support
With 62 contributors, Mr. Weissman counted more financial supporters than Christopher Armenta (23), Dr. Luther Henderson (16) and Mehaul O’Leary (15) combined.
Mr. Weissman was far in front when it came to well-known donors — three present City Council members, Mayor Alan Corlin, Steve Rose and Scott Malsin; two members of the School Board, Jessica Beagles-Roos and Steve Gourley; former Council members David Hauptman and Ed Wolkowitz, along with John Kuechle, George Plato and Phil Tangalakis.
Runnerup Is Well Ahead
At $10,813, Mr. Armenta, the City Clerk, trailed Mr. Weissman by about $6,000 in fund-raising. Still, the Clerk was significantly in front of Mr. O’Leary ($6,234) and Dr. Henderson ($4,182).
Having drawn 17 persons who contributed the Culver City maximum donation of $500, Mr. Weissman could boast of more max donors than either Dr. Henderson (16) or Mr. O’Leary (15) counted in total givers.
Mr. Weissman’s $500 supporters included:
Gerald Fogelman, Dan Cavanaugh, John Byers of Newport Beach, Don Chandler, the Culver Hotel, Dan A. Spell, Sanford Weiner, Joel Landau, Robert Lench, Susan Landau, Jin Kwak, Janet Kadkhoda , Mr. Wolkowitz, Mr. Tangalakis and Mr. Kuechle.
Top Donors
Of Mr. Armenta’s 23 contributors, one-third of them, 7, gave the maximum. Two others, Tyrone Vehedi and Karli Sikich, each gave $499.
The $500 roster includes Gilberto Carillo, Anteneh DeJene, Colleen Ward, Susan Allen, Donna Armstrong, Kent Armstrong and Raymond Armenta.
Bryan Curry, Kenneth Pon and SIC, Inc., Inglewood, each contributed $500 to Dr., Henderson’s campaign.
Diana Hauptman, wife of the former City Councilman, was a $500 donor to Mr. O’Leary.
Running Second
Mr. Armenta was the runnerup to Mr. Weissman in cash on hand, $7, 436, a little more than half of the leader’s total. Mr. O’Leary, who listed no expenses, was third at $6,234. Dr. Henderson, with $153 subtracted in expenses, stood fourth at $4,029.
Since the other five candidates did not file for office until after ’07 ended, they were not obligated to file financial documents.
Deputy City Clerk Ela Valladares said the next filing deadline is Feb. 28.
To the surprise of none but, no doubt, to the disappointment of a goodly number, Andy Weissman, the putative favorite in this spring’s City Council race, is the runaway leader at the end of the first financial filing period.