Follow the Money
Posted in Greensboro City Council
Nov. 18, 2007 at 11:15
by BrendaBee
Nov. 17, 2007 -Follow the Money
Posted in Greensboro City Council
|
Name |
Total # Votes |
Total Raised This Election Cycle |
Amount Spent This Election Cycle |
Cost Per Vote |
| Johnson |
18,709 |
$71,710.00 |
$56,402.10 |
$3.01 |
| Anderson-Groat |
17,626 |
$42,303.19 |
$25,875.24 |
$1.47 |
| Perkins |
16,201 |
$37,210.00 |
$30,626.84 |
$1.89 |
| Rakestraw |
15,689 |
$10,539.23 |
$4,640.40 |
$0.30 |
| Bellamy-Small |
3,036 |
|||
| Wells |
3,336 |
$5,953.00 |
$5,102.79 |
$1.52 |
| Matheny |
5,201 |
$42,114.96 |
$25,311.99 |
$4.87 |
| Barber |
7,223 |
$8,900.00 |
$419.98 |
$0.05 |
| Wade |
1,904 |
$14,670.00 |
$13,307.82 |
I planned to do a post on following the money and have gotten distracted. You can find all the information at Guilford County board of Elections site.
(One disclaimer here: I don't know the names of Greensboro's movers and shakers as I have not lived here long enough, and of course I don't and never have been included in these groups no matter where I have lived.)
There is no doubt that the candidates, or most of them, have been bought and paid for. Mostly by the MELDERAC, or Jim Melvin's group of movers and shakers made up of developers and builders and Realtors using the company affiliations listed beside their names as my guide.
Robbie Perkins' list of individual donors is a regular Who's Who on the local developer scene. These people saw fit to hand over $35210. to Robbie. No doubt for his good looks and so he can continue to get expensive hair cuts Ala Edwards. In an effort to give him the benefit of some doubt I looked hard for a donor outside of this group and did find one auto dealer. Robbie also managed to get $4000 from PACS. (the most after Yvonne Johnson's $6525) Listed is the NC Realtors PAC at $2000, but the other $2000 is not accounted for.
Zack Matheny claimed $40,249.96 from individual donors. From the listing it appears to be from the same fan club that backed Robbie. There was one whopping $4000. donation from a Mr. Robert Long Jr., 208 Irving Place whose company affiliation is listed as Granville Capital and job title as:Principal. Now folks I wouldn't mind having a tooth fairy like that! As for PACS Zack listed a measly $1000.. But with friends like my own District 3 Pretty Boy Zack has who in Hell needs PACS?
Trudy Wade pulled in $7850 from what appears to be mostly again the Realtors and construction firms. Also received $500 from NC Realtors PAC and $1000 from North Carolinians for Leadership in Government PAC.
Sandra Anderson-Groats Construction Company seems to have financed her campaign with a loan of $19,000. The rest again came from Realtors and developers and added up to $21,153.19. There came a point when reading the lists of donors to these people's campaigns that I would have given my Wendy's lunch special to see a hair dresser listed as a donor!
Mike Barber donors were more of the same with a heavy sprinkling of attorneys thrown in. No doubt fellow golfers.
Mary Rakestraw claims $5925. from individuals. There were quite a few small checks from $15 to $50 that must have come from people like me. An interesting note was a check for $400 from Paul Gibson (County commissioner). Of the PACS $2184.23 donations she only lists the $1500. from NC Realtors. Having not lived here when Rakestraw was on a governing board previously and not wanting to take the time right now to research her, I am going to have wait to see if she keeps her campaign promises to straighten out the mess of city hall and the GPD and get to the truth of David Wray's forced resignation.
So, there you have a very sketchily put together money trail. And, it seems to me these people one and all need to be watched closely. Is it a coincidence that the planned raping of the corner of Lawndale and Cornwallis by developers will be the first big item on their agenda and they all received so much money from these people. BB
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