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Fundraising: Early Leads for Garcia, Anderson

Hillel Aron | January 11, 2013



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The most recent quarterly campaign fundraising numbers are in (courtesy of the wonderful City Ethics Commission’s website), and the big winners so far are school board President Monica Garcia and challenger Kate Anderson.

These figures cover direct contributions to the candidates’ campaigns, which are capped at $1,000 per person, through December 31.

They don’t include funds being gathered in by independent expenditure (IE) committees operated by the teachers union, the reform coalition, and others, which will likely eclipse direct donations in size.

Garcia raised $72,025 in the last three months of 2012, for a total of $245,264, dwarfing her competitors in the Eastside’s District 2.

In the Westside District 4 race, Kate Anderson raised $87,000 in her first three months of fundraising. She has also loaned her campaign $25,000 of her own money.

Her opponent, incumbent Steve Zimmer, raised just $16,424 in the quarter for a total of $27,688.

The East Valley District 6 candidates’ numbers were similarly low. Antonio Sanchez raised $15,600, Iris Zuniga raised $18,625 (and loaned herself $1,000) and Monica Ratliff raised $6,550. Mario Cano’s numbers are not yet available.

UTLA has not contributed to any of the candidates’ campaigns as of December 31, according to the LA Times.  Filmmaker Davis Guggenheim is listed as a donor to both the Anderson and Garcia. (See Garcia leads in fundraising for L.A. school board).
“Historically, school board races lacked donation limits, but that’s no longer true, and most of the money is likely to pour in through independent expenditures not controlled by the candidates.”

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