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Follow the Money: Whelan Flexes Fundraising Muscle
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By David Taub, Senior Reporter
Published 7 years ago on
April 30, 2018

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Financial figures are in for the first 111 days of the year of the Fresno City Council campaign.

Politics 101

David Taub

Candidates have released their Form 460, which lists how much money they raised, plus who made donations greater than $100. Certain political committees can donate more. The period covers Jan. 1 to April 21.

District 7 candidate Brian Whelan has raised the most money in any of the four seats up for election in the June 5 primary.

The following is a district-by-district look at who has raised how much. The first table contain information on how much overall is raised (including how much of that is in the form of a loan). Contributions received includes how much cash has been raised, loans, plus non-monetary contributions. It also includes which individuals or businesses have donated the maximum amount of $4,400 per election cycle.

The second table shows how much cash the candidate has available, and also how much their campaign is in debt.

District 1

Esmeralda Soria, for an uncontested race, raised $116,629 for her campaign. One of the more interesting donors: Major Leagu Baseball pitcher Matt Garza, who is sitting out 2018 with a shoulder injury. He gave the maximum $4,400.

Most of the money for Soria came from a March fundraiser, held at the Fig Garden home of her boyfriend, local developer Terence Frazier. According to her fundraising documents, Soria paid Frazier $500 under the description of “fundraising event.”

Frazier also received another $318.95 under the category of office expenses.

Chef Ryan Scott, who catered the event, received $2,821 for his services.

Name Office Total Raised Max Donors
Esmeralda Soria Fresno City Council, District 1 (incumbent) $116,629 Beal Developments; Brar Holdings; Richard Caglia; City of Fresno Professional Employees Association PAC; Matthew Garza (MLB pitcher); Law Offices of Ben Eilenberg; Mid Valley Disposal, Inc.; Kathleen M. Murphy (physician, Pediatric Anesthesia Medical Group); West Coast Waste

 

Name Office Cash on hand Outstanding Debt
Esmeralda Soria Fresno City Council, District 1 (incumbent) $108,258.69 $676.24

District 3

The big money is not pouring into the District 3 race to replace termed-out Oliver Baines.

Miguel Arias is the overall and cash raised leader. He has received more than $26,000, with $10,000 coming from a self-loan. He also has the most remaining, just a shade above $10,000.

Craig Scharton is next up for cash raised (more than $11,000), with only a $300 loan to himself.

No one has achieved a maximum donation of $4,400. Most other reported amounts are donors under $1,000.

Name Office Total Raised Max Donors
Miguel Arias Fresno City Council, District 3 $26,381.91 ($10k loan) None
Daren Miller Fresno City Council, District 3 $15,985 ($8,900 loan) None
Tate Hill Fresno City Council, District 3 $15,875 ($10,050 loan) None
Craig Scharton Fresno City Council, District 3 $11,620.90 ($300 loan) None
Kimberly Tapscott-Munson Fresno City Council, District 3 $6,340 ($5,430 loan) None
Sean Sanchez Fresno City Council, District 3 $1,281 None
Larry Burrus Fresno City Council, District 3 Did not file

 

Name Office Cash on hand Outstanding Debt
Miguel Arias Fresno City Council, District 3 $10,003.50 $10,000
Tate Hill Fresno City Council, District 3 $9,981.88 $10,050
Craig Scharton Fresno City Council, District 3 $5,295.44 $300
Daren Miller Fresno City Council, District 3 $1,351.90 $8,900
Sean Sanchez Fresno City Council, District 3 $1,000.01 $2,126.40
Kimberly Tapscott-Munson Fresno City Council, District 3 -$16.97 $5,540

District 5

District 5 incumbent Luis Chavez is the clear money leader, receiving contributions from labor, developers and even conservative insurance agency owner Michael Der Manouel Jr. ($1,200). Chavez started with more than $30,000 in cash from his prior campaign.

Chavez has also donated $500 to Kevin de Leon’s U.S. Senate campaign, and $2,000 to Elizabeth Jonasson Rosas’ Fresno Unified trustee campaign. Jonasson Rosas and Chavez are married.

Paula Yang has raised $11,500 in cash, but also has the largest amount of campaign debt. Her $4,000 loan is from Juan Carmona Jr., who is listed as a Sprint store manager.

Jose Barraza may seem like he raised a lot, but much of it is using $12,550 worth of old campaign signs. He did not report a donor outside himself.

Name Office Total Raised Max Donors
Luis Chavez Fresno City Council, District 5 (incumbent) $66,799 CFPEA-PAC (City of Fresno Professional Employees’ Association); River Park Properties II; West Coast Waste; Richard Caglia (Caglia Diversified Development)
Paula Yang Fresno City Council, District 5 $17,761.40 ($4,000 loan) None
Jose Barraza Fresno City Council, District 5 $15,000 ($2,000 loan) None
Paul Condon Fresno City Council, District 5 Did not file

 

Name Office Cash on hand Outstanding Debt
Luis Chavez Fresno City Council, District 5 $68,362.12 $1,372
Paula Yang Fresno City Council, District 5 $4,220.65 $17,104.62
Jose Barraza Fresno City Council, District 5 $2,000 $2,000

District 7

Whelan, the attorney backed by termed-out Clint Olivier and Mayor Lee Brand, is the fundraising leader. With more than $192,000 raised and $157,000 on hand, he is the only candidate in a competitive race to reach six-figures. That is more than 3.5 times the second-place fundraiser for the period. Much of his support comes from the business community.

Veva Islas sits in second place on the District 7 money board. A number of her donors come from the Bay Area. Her largest contributor is Eva Grove, a Los Altos philanthropist, with $3,000.

Nelson Esparza’s biggest donor is the plumbers and pipefitters union at $5,000. He received the Fresno County Democrats endorsement, but no money from the group in this reporting period.

Name Office Total Raised Max Donors
Brian Whelan Fresno City Council, District 7 $192,626.37 ($16,235.37 loan) Associated Builders & Contractors Northern California Chapter PAC; Cal Valley Construction, Inc.; Derrel’s Mini Storage, Inc.; Larry Fortune (Fortune Associates); Malakan Diamond Company; River Park Properties II; Robert Smittcamp (CEO/Chairman of Lyons Magnus); Triple B Ranch; West Coast Waste; West Hills Farm Services, Inc.; Russell Harris (President/CEO, Harris Family Enterprises); Grow Elect; CFPEA-PAC (City of Fresno Professional Employees’ Association); Farid Assemi (Assemi Group, Inc.)
Veva Islas Fresno City Council, District 7 $53,347.20 ($5,000 loan) None
Nelson Esparza Fresno City Council, District 7 $33,760 ($5,600 loan) None

 

Name Office Cash on hand Outstanding Debt
Brian Whelan Fresno City Council, District 7 $157,753.22 $16,835.37
Veva Islas Fresno City Council, District 7 $11,419.60 $5,078.75
Nelson Esparza Fresno City Council, District 7 $6,522.14 $11,357.09

 

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David Taub,
Senior Reporter
Curiosity drives David Taub. The award-winning journalist might be shy, but feels mighty with a recorder in his hand. He doesn't see it his job to "hold public officials accountable," but does see it to provide readers (and voters) the information needed to make intelligent choices. Taub has been honored with several writing awards from the California News Publishers Association. He's just happy to have his stories read. Joining GV Wire in 2016, Taub covers politics, government and elections, mainly in the Fresno/Clovis area. He also writes columns about local eateries (Appetite for Fresno), pro wrestling (Off the Bottom Rope), and media (Media Man). Prior to joining the online news source, Taub worked as a radio producer for KMJ and PowerTalk 96.7 in Fresno. He also worked as an assignment editor for KCOY-TV in Santa Maria, California, and KSEE-TV in Fresno. He has also worked behind the scenes for several sports broadcasts, including the NCAA basketball tournament, and the Super Bowl. When not spending time with his family, Taub loves to officially score Fresno Grizzlies games. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Taub is a die-hard Giants and 49ers fan. He graduated from the University of Michigan with dual degrees in communications and political science. Go Blue! You can contact David at 559-492-4037 or at Send an Email

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