Daily Orange
Mahoney spends about $100,000 on advertising
By Brian Oppenheim
With a day left in the mayoral race, the two challengers to incumbent Democrat Matt Driscoll are on opposite ends of the fund-raising scale. Republican candidate Joanie Mahoney has furiously raised money, while Howie Hawkins' Green Party had its largest donation in its last filing of $1,000.
In addition to incumbency, the Driscoll campaign amassed a considerable campaign war chest. In July's Onondaga County Board of Elections filings, Driscoll had $202,056 in the bank, and in October, the campaign spent $34,372 on everything from advertising to consultants. In comparison, the Mahoney campaign spent $99,415 on Cookfair Media advertising consultants in October.
Records show the Mahoney campaign has raised a total of $240,618. A big portion of that was raised from Oct. 8 to Oct. 28, with contributions totaling $154,603.
Mahoney's filings also show that many of Mahoney's largest monetary supporters are from outside of the city.
Roger Gamblin of West Palm Beach, Fla., and his wife, Peggy, each gave $3,500 to the Mahoney campaign. Gamblin pays attention to races around the country and gives to candidates - regardless of political party, he said.
"I have an interest (in the mayor's race)," Gamblin said. "I contribute to people who are movers and shakers."
Gamblin did not indicate what his interests in the city were, but said his reason for giving was personal.
Mahoney also received individual contributions of more than $2,000 from supporters in Cincinnati, Albany, Camillus and towns in downstate Westchester County such as Rye and New Rochelle. Additionally, API Systems, an information technology company based out of Denville, N.J., gave $2,000 to the Mahoney campaign. The company declined to comment on its contribution.
Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins said on principal the party does not accept corporate contributions and said he believes campaigns should be publicly financed. However, Hawkins is not against interests outside of the city giving to local campaigns.
"But you've got to ask yourself, 'What do those folks want?'" Hawkins said. "A lot of them are contractors with the city, while others may be partisans for one party or the other."
So far the city's Green Party has raised $3,399, but has spent $5,426, with the difference coming out of Hawkins' - and other Green candidates' - pockets.
Yvonne Rothenberg of Jamesville gave $1,000 to the Green Party to support Hawkins' vision for Syracuse. In 1998, Rothenberg was a Green Party candidate for Congress, and said although she cannot vote in the city, she can voice her support for Hawkins with her contribution.
"My goals are pure; I set aside a certain amount of money to make our community a better place," Rothenberg said. "I'm very pleased that I can afford to give Howie the money."
Posted by syracusegreens at November 7, 2005 06:18 PM