Big 'Democracy Dollars': ACLU drops $100,000 on Oakland's campaign finance ballot measure
Campaign finance data: Ortega-Toro, Wahab pull in big contributions; Terry Wiley gets a little help from his friends
ELECTION 2022
Days until Election Day: 75.
—TOWN DOLLARS—The campaign in support of Measure W, Oakland’s campaign finance reform ballot measure, appears to be readying a well-financed push to bring so-called “democracy dollars” to the city’s elections.
—The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California contributed $100,000 on Wednesday to the committee supporting Oakland’s Fair Elections Act, according to a campaign finance report. The expenditure comes days after $25,000 was plunked into the effort by James Heerwagen, the chairman of Voters Right to Know.
—Measure W would enact a system of public funding for Oakland elections used in Seattle. Oakland voters would receive “democracy dollars,” a set of four vouchers worth $25 each that can be given to campaigns of their choosing.
—Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang touted the idea, and locally, Rep. Ro Khanna is among its supporters. The theory is “democracy dollars” limits the power of special interests money from dominating local elections and evens the playing field for lesser known candidates.
—Early returns from Seattle suggests the voucher program can place greater electoral pressures on long-time incumbents and allows for a more diverse field of candidates.
—The ballot measure also seeks to allocate greater resources to the Oakland Public Ethics Commission in order to implement the law, if approved by voters. The cost of the program is expected to be $4 million.
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
—MONEYBALL—Large Form 497 contributions ($1,000 or more) filed Wednesday through Thursday afternoon. *-local city maximum campaign contribution.
—NOTES—Alameda County District Attorney candidates Terry Wiley received a little help from his colleagues in the DA’s office. Three of the five contributors listed below work with him, two others are local attorneys… SEIU Local 1021, Oakland’s largest public employees union, has picked his favorites for the city’s three council races this fall… Lena Tam’s bid for Alameda County supervisor in District 3 got some help from a big developer in unincorporated San Lorenzo,
COUNTY
—Terry Wiley (Alameda County District Attorney), James Rullamas of Danville, $2,500; John Ullom of Oakland, $1,000; John J Brouhard of Orinda, $1,000; Christopher Infante of San Francisco, $1,000; Eileen McAndrew of Oakland, $1,000. Pamela Price (Alameda County District Attorney), Amalgamated Transit Union Committee on Political Education, $4,000.
—Lena Tam (Alameda County Board of Supervisors-Dist. 3), David D. Bohannon Organization, $2,500. Rebecca Kaplan (Alameda County Board of Supervisors-Dist. 3), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 595 PAC, $2,500; National Union of Healthcare Workers Candidate Committee for Quality Patient Care and Union Democracy, $2,500.
CITIES
OAKLAND
—Nikki Fortunato Bas (Oakland City Council-Dist. 2), Service Employees International Union United Service Workers West Candidate PAC, $1,800*. Janani Ramachandran (Oakland City Council-Dist. 4), Service Employees International Union United Service Workers West Candidate PAC, $1,700. Kevin Jenkins (Oakland City Council-Dist. 6), Service Employees International Union United Service Workers West Candidate PAC, $1,700.
—Oakland Fair Elections, Sponsored by Civic Advocacy Organizations (Oakland Measure W-election reform), ACLU of Northern California Issues Committee, $100,000.
NEWARK
—Michael Hannon (Newark Mayor), Michael Hannon, $2,000. Terrence Grindall (Newark City Council), Terrence Grindall, $2,000. Matthew Jorgens (Newark City Council), Matthew Jorgens, $2,022.
ALBANY
—Jennifer Hansen-Romero (Albany City Council), Paladin Investment Strategies LLC, $1,000. $107.72, $107.72.
STATE LEGISLATURE
10TH STATE SENATE
—Aisha Wahab (10th State Senate District), Standing Committee on Political Education of the California Labor Federation AFL-CIO, $9,700; Elizabeth Allison Thomas of Los Angeles, $2,500.
20TH ASSEMBLY
—Liz Ortega-Toro (20th Assembly District), Standing Committee on Political Education of the California Labor Federation AFL-CIO, $9,700; Valle for Alameda County Supervisor 2022, $4,900; California Association of Psychiatric Technicians PAC, $1,500; Alameda Fire Fighters Association PAC IAFF Local 689, $1,000; Teamsters Local No. 853 PAC, $1,000. Shawn Kumagai (20th Assembly District), Blue Shield of California, $3,500.
16TH ASSEMBLY
Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (16th Assembly District), UnitedHealth Group, Inc., $2,000; California Association of Dental Plans Political Action Cmte, $1,000.
—HOUSEKEEPING—I’m taking the rest of the week off from publishing a full newsletter to allow some extra time to work on a few election stories for the next month and candidate spotlight features. In the meantime, I’ll maintain the campaign finance data each day and perhaps a few small blurbs.
—Also, the Season 5 premiere of the East Bay Insiders podcast drops Friday morning. Co-host Shawn Wilson and I will preview the November election season, his vacation in Mexico and my big move out of Oakland, along with Supervisor Nate Miley’s comments on Oakland’s culture of lawlessness.