Vallejo Election Financing and Financial Reporting

 

The California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) requires all candidates and Political Action Committees (PACs) to file semiannual reports detailing all contributions and expenditures.  These reports are normally filed with the City Clerk but they may be filed with the County or the Secretary of State in Sacramento, and they must be available for public inspection.

 

This article highlights the PACS that engage in local Vallejo elections,  the funds they have contributed to campaigns and the funds raised by the candidate committees.

 

Police and Fire Union PACs

In past elections the unions have spent heavily on selected candidates to help get a union friendly council elected.  In 2007 the unions formed United Workers for Local Government PAC #1297806 and raised $195,411 for elections in Solano County.  Vallejo Firefighters Local 1186 PAC contributed $79,500 and the Vallejo Police Officers Association (VPOA) PAC contributed $32,000.  Other state and local unions contributed the remainder.  This PAC was terminated 7/31/09 and was not active in the 2009 elections.  The Vallejo Firefighters PAC has not made contributions to Vallejo political candidates since the 2007 election.

 

VALPAC Chamber of Commerce PAC

The Vallejo Chamber of Commerce has been active in local elections and has supported selected candidates.  The Chamber has historically also been friendly to union interests, and in 2007, co-hosted a Candidates Forum with the Labor United Workers for Local Government PAC at Cal Maritime. VALPAC files its reports with the Vallejo City Clerk.  

 

2007 Elections

The 2007 elections were the most expensive in Vallejo’s history.  There were three council seats plus the Mayor up for election.  The following table shows the amount of money raised by the candidate committees and the “Independent Expenditures” made by the United Workers for Local Government PAC:

 

 

Candidate Committees

United Workers for Local Gov

Total

Mayor

 

 

 

    Pam Pitts

         $92,515

                $34,675

$127,190

    Osby Davis

         $81,518

                       0

  $81,518

    Gary Cloutier

         $77,378

                       0

  $77,378

City Council

 

 

 

    Michael Wilson

         $80,445

                 $26,841

$107,286

    Erin Hannigan

         $75,758

                 $26,639

$102,379

    Joanne Schivley

         $25,073

                       0

  $25,073

                                                               

    

                The VALPAC Chamber of Commerce PAC made contributions to these candidates:

                                Michael Wilson $8,000

                                Erin Hannigan    $8,000

 

2009 Elections

The 2009 elections were not as expensive and the unions did not use the United Workers for Local Government PAC.  They did however make contributions to individual candidates.  The following table shows the amount (cash and noncash) raised by each candidate’s committee:

               

Hermie Sunga

$57,112

Marti Brown

  52,005

Tom Bartee

  51,182

Stephanie Gomes

  34,373

Marie Punkie Nelson

  21,921

Johnathan Logan

  19,107

 

                VALPAC Chamber of Commerce PAC made contributions to these candidates:

                                Tom Bartee        $3,000

                                Hermie Sunga    $3,000

                                Mike Wilson       $3,000  (State Assembly election)

 

2010 Binding Arbitration Measure A

In 2010 the city voted on Measure A to remove binding arbitration from the Vallejo City Charter. 

 

$158,325 was raised in total by PACs to unsuccessfully defeat Measure A. The Vallejo Police Officers Association formed Citizens for a Safe Vallejo – No on Measure A - PAC#1325408 and raised $117,663 to oppose the measure.  Of this amount, the VPOA contributed $42,099 and various other unions contributed the balance.  In addition the Coalition for a Safer California – PAC#1306339 spent $40,662 on media buys opposing this local Vallejo measure.  This PAC was funded by various state unions including the Prison Guards and several Police Officer Associations from around the state.  In contrast the Committee to Remove Binding Arbitration PAC #1305448 raised $14,252—less than 10% of what these powerful PACs raised, to successfully support the measure.  The vote was very close with 9,315 in

favor and 8,856 opposed.  That translates into a cost of only $1.53 for each winning vote for Measure A, with $17.88 spent for each vote against Measure A.

2011 Elections

The 2011 elections will be the most important in Vallejo’s history.  The city is emerging from bankruptcy and the future of Vallejo will be charted by the people we elect as Mayor and City Council members.  Binding Arbitration has been removed from the Vallejo City Charter and so it will be up to the Council to determine how contracts are negotiated, not a third party arbitrator.

 

It takes money to get elected.  Show support for your candidate of choice by donating to his(her) campaign committee.