Matt Aitken is outpacing his competitors in campaign contributions in the race for Betty Beard's District 1 seat on the Augusta Commission, having raised $5,355, according to documents filed this week with the Richmond County Board of Elections.
Bill Fennoy, whom Ms. Beard has endorsed, has raised $4,207, and Butch Palmer has raised $700, according to their contribution-disclosure reports. JoRae Jenkins missed the filing deadline, but according to campaign co-manager Ian Dalbert she has raised $1,364.
The money came from Ms. Jenkins and her campaign workers, Mr. Dalbert said. Because she's filing late, Ms. Jenkins will be reported to the state Ethics Commission and fined $25, Richmond County Board of Elections Executive Director Lynn Bailey said.
In the District 3 race, incumbent Joe Bowles has raised $2,353, more than three times as much as challenger Cleveland O'Steen. Mr. O'Steen has raised $754, and $631 of it came from himself.
The other District 3 challenger, Joy B. Mitchell-Booker, reported raising no contributions.
In District 5, Bill Lockett has raised $12,016 to Bobby Hankerson's $4,215. However, Mr. Lockett's contributions include a $9,382 loan from himself.
Marshal Steve Smith has raised $12,815, more than all of them, even though he's running unopposed. All of the donations were made before the close of qualifying, when it was unknown whether he would have opposition.
Because the race to fill the late Joe Scott's Richmond County Board of Education seat is a special election, disclosure reports aren't due until Oct. 26.
Listed contributions of $101 or more include:
- For Mr. Aitken, $1,000 from developer Clay Boardman, $1,000 from Caye Properties President Charles Caye Jr., $750 from Mr. Aitken himself and $250 from his campaign manager, Ed Presnell
- For Mr. Fennoy, $1,000 from Washington, D.C.-based PRM Consulting
- For Mr. Palmer, $500 from the Builders Association of Metro Augusta, which also donated $2,000 to Mr. Bowles and $2,000 to Mr. Hankerson
- For Mr. Hankerson, an $800 loan from himself, $160 from himself and $180 from campaign manager Eugene Hunt
- For Marshal Smith, $500 from Regent Security, $500 from Thompson Building Wrecking Co. and $500 from state Transportation Board Chairman Bill Kuhlke.
Reach Johnny Edwards at (706) 823-3225 or johnny.edwards@augustachronicle.com.
CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION reports can be viewed online at www.augustaga.gov
HARRISBURG FORUM
Candidates for the District 1 seat on the Augusta Commission met at a forum in Harrisburg Friday night.
Matt Aitken, Bill Fennoy, JoRae Jenkins and Butch Palmer answered questions from the crowd of about 50 people at the Harrisburg Family Life Center and discussed many of the same issues that arose in a similar forum Thursday night -- crime, blight and the proposed trade, exhibit and event center.
-- From staff reports
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Interesting where these donations are coming from. We are not talking about a lot of small donations from average people, but a few $1,000 donations from the same old power brokers, and then the candidate's own money. This hardly tells us the overall support for the individual candidates from mainstream voters. It does tell me though who the power brokers are backing, and that's enough for me to know to vote for someone else.
Ms. Jenkins already being reported to the state ethics commission for filing proper documentation late. You see District 1 what type of candidate we will get in someone like her. Ms. Jenkins our community cant afford for you to continue to make mistakes. It looks like these people are right about you, no experience, no leadership, no true concern for district 1.
The people in district 1 are lower income people and they give what they can. It's these people with money that give 1,000 dollars that want something for that money. They aren't going to give money for nothing, that person gets in then he owes the other person a favor.
We want a person that is for the people in district 1 not for someones
elses pockets. I think that they, candidate's talk about the church helping the people that need it. Then why haven't they , the churches have been here let them set up programs for the youth, get grant or non-profit org. to help before now. We need someone who will talk for us not agree with the other commissiers. We need a law for the landlords and people that own property and don't do nothing with it just let it stand. WE NEED BUTCH!!!!!!!!!!!
Mr Palmer has been given small contributions from average middle class voters and those are the voters who will put Mr. Palmer into office. Aikens fat check contributions are from special interest who expect something for in return. Please support a logical approach to government. Mr. Palmer is the only candidate who is looking out for us tax pays and the greater good of Richmond County: www.butchforaugusta.org
Yeah, it brings up the point that it’s kind of funny about the Commissioners who get extremely large sums such as Don Grantham in the tens of thousands while others get scant contributions. What about other elected officials who ran unopposed and, yet, received hundreds of thousands in contributions? These officials must be pretty powerful to the point when family members are found dead, autopsies are not performed. Wonder how, who, what, when, where, why?
What's the deal with the guy running for marshall unopposed with a whopping $12,000 plus in contributions? I mean he doen't even have to campaign.. how odd.
We need Mr. Palmer. Please let's all give him money support because the others will be dong a lot a mail and postage is expensive. If you have not met Mr. Palmer please meet him and I believe that you will be impressed. www.butchforaugusta.org