Left In Lowell

People keep wondering what the fundraising numbers are this quarter for the 5th district race, in anticipation of the reports due out soon. Well, I meandered over to ActBlue because they sent out their monthly newletter, and for grins got onto the US House page for Massachusetts, and took a look at the MA-05 candidates. Here’s what I found:

Eileen Donoghue, Raised across ActBlue: 27 donors, $5,450
Jamie Eldridge, Raised across ActBlue: 382 donors, $71,050
Barry Finegold, Raised across ActBlue: 16 donors, $16,250
Niki Tsongas, Raised across ActBlue: 264 donors, $87,565

If I recall correctly, a month ago when I looked at these numbers Tsongas was pretty far ahead of everyone in online fundraising. This of course is not a shock - her name recognition set her up for being the initial fundraising giant.

However, taking a second look at those numbers, Jamie Eldridge is within about $16,000 of catching up to Tsongas. What’s more, Jamie has over a hundred more donors than Niki does, which means his numbers of small donors may be considerably larger, giving him room to go back to them for more.

Though most of the donations are probably made through the candiates’ account for which there seems no breakdown, people are also allowed to make fundraising pages (like the one I have for Jamie), and you can get the breakdown of the donations made through those pages at least. Looking at Niki’s page, I see a single donor of $900, another one of $1,300, a set of 20 donors averaging $383.50, and the Women for Tsongas at 43 donors averaging almost $300 per. There are 44 averaging under $50, and another 14 averaging between $75 and $106. But in total, 66 of Tsongas’ donors gave over $200, 65 of them around $300 and up.

For Jamie, on the other hand, the breakdown goes like this: 23 donors under $50, 27 donors between $50-$100, 29 under or at $150, and 12 under $200. There are only 2 donors averaging over $200.

Though competative on the lower end, Tsongas seems to be relying on larger donations, which not only could translate to less money later on (ask Hillary about that), but also could be a reflection of people doing more than donating to Eldridge’s campaign such as volunteer work, or showing a larger number will at least make sure show up to vote (if you donate, even $10, generally you care enough to vote). A campaign like Eldridge’s takes more time and effort (and trust) to get going, but it was the strength of Patrick’s win, as well as those of such underdogs like Carol Shea-Porter. This race is fascinating, if only for the compare-and-contrast between methods of campaigning.

Via sco, I found the link to the list of 215 nonprofits (out of 1500 which applied) that received grants from the leftover Deval Patrick inaugural fundraising. Several worthy Lowell groups were awarded the $2,500 award:

Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association of Greater Lowell, Inc.
Light of Cambodian Children, Inc.
Lowell Transitional Living Center
Lowell Wish Project Inc.
Merrimack Valley Food Bank, Inc.

I’m sure a lot of worthy groups were left out. However, the process for choosing was a lot like Deval’s campaign - a grassroots group of 400 souls were the ones to determine the outcome. Congratulations to all the groups who received an award!

Last night Lowell City Council candidate Kristin Ross-Sitcawich (check out her Lynne-designed web site) launched her campaign with a successful kick-off fundraiser at Café Paradiso. Vice-Mayor Jim Millinazo had his fundraiser at the same time right across the street at Fortunatos. So, the intersection of Palmer and Middle Streets was buzzing with political excitement all night.

It was great to see and meet so many people dedicated to keeping this City moving forward. I had some encouraging conversations with so many Lowellians as well as one Dracuteer who all believe in quality government for the greater good.

A number of other City Council candidates, both incumbents and challengers, visited the two events to wish both Kristin and Jim their best. They included Congressional candidate and current City Council member, Eileen Donoghue; Mayor Bill Martin, Councilors Kevin Broderick, Rodney Elliott, George Ramirez and candidates Mehmed Ali, Joe Mendoca, Jo-Ann Keegan, Curtis LeMay and David Koch. On the School Committee side, I only saw School Committeewoman and fellow blogger Jackie Doherty.

Ed O’Reilly was there also. He is challenging Senator John Kerry in the 2008 election. By the time this election comes around, I predict that he will have met everyone in Lowell.

We should start discussing how to minimize the cost of running citywide campaigns to give everyone a fair chance. We also need to maximize the exposure of the candidates and the issues; maybe use LTC better; more public forums, and of course, web sites and blogs. And we all need to go out and get our neighbors to vote as if their entire future depends upon it; oh, wait it does depend on it.

Sco has the best point so far on the “flap” (read: one man crusade) about Patrick raising some dough from businesses (bold mine):

The front page of today’s Boston Globe has an overblown story about a Deval Patrick fundraiser, written by usual suspect Frank Phillips. Phillips admits that such fundraisers are “not uncommon during previous administrations” but they are front page news when they are held for Governor Patrick for some reason anyway. After all, Patrick promised as a candidate that he would never raise any money, and he never held any fundraisers while running for governor. Oh wait, he didn’t do that? Well, then, it’s front page news because the Globe is still pissed that Patrick chided them months ago for not “getting it”.

Here’s what I don’t understand. Nary a day goes by without some quote in the Globe or the Herald from Michael Widmer of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation complaining about how the Governor’s tax loophole plans are bad for business, and now all of a sudden the Globe is upset that Patrick has a “growing relationship” with state’s business leaders. Well, which is it? Is he too cozy or too anti-business? Personally, I don’t think he’s either, but he certainly can’t be both.

I get that we do want full disclosure and examination of our governor’s activities (gee, was such a microscope held to Romney? nope) but these Patrick hit men (correction: hit man) can’t seem to get their story lines on the Governor to mesh well. Don’t cross the talking points! The universe might explode. Or, at the least, the talking points might cancel each other out.

I’m publishing this letter from Merrimack Valley mayors, including Mayor Bill Martin of Lowell, who are voicing their support for Patrick’s Municipal Parnership Act, and urging their legislators to vote to approve it.

The Act includes such things as the optional 1-2% local meals tax, municipality participation in the state’s employee health care plan which would save money, and the closing of the nearly century-old tax loophole on telecommunications, which would allow local governments to tax the property of the telecom industry as they do the electric and cable companies.

Our local governments have had their hands tied on revenues for too long, and relied too much on the residential property tax. It’s time for a change. And if you can get to the state house today, the Governor is rallying support for his proposal, 1pm at the Grand Staircase.

Cities and towns in the Merrimack Valley are facing another year of tough choices. Our costs, particularly health care costs, continue to rise faster than our revenues. This year, the average community will experience a 9-10% increase in health care costs. In addition, energy and other fixed costs continue to outstrip our ability to pay within the Proposition 2 ½ tax levy limit.

Every year we are faced with the same tough choice - cut vital services or ask our citizens to pay more by raising property taxes.

The Municipal Partnership Act, proposed by Governor Patrick, offers a third choice - a way to ensure delivery of services without asking our citizens to pay more through overrides. The Municipal Partnership Act offers us a chance to lower health care costs, close the tax loophole on telecommunications, and gives us the chance to explore in our own communities whether there should be local option taxes.

We strongly urge our local legislators to support Governor Patrick’s Municipal Partnership Act. The Municipal Partnership Act offers us a means of raising revenues without increasing the property tax burden on our citizens. The Municipal Partnership Act offers our communities solutions beyond cutting critical services. Most importantly, the Municipal Partnership Act offers us hope for tomorrow.

We ask the Legislature to pass the Municipal Partnership Act with all of the provisions proposed by Governor Patrick and give our communities the tools we need to run our cities without constantly raising property taxes.

Sincerely,
Mayor Thatcher W. Kezer III
Mayor James J. Fiorentini
Mayor Michael J. Sullivan
Mayor William F. Martin, Jr.
Mayor William M. Manzi III
Mayor John F. Moak
Bernard Lynch, City Manager

Tuesday’s debate among the Democratic Candidate for the 5th District Congressional seat in Devens was well attended. For the most part, those of us there were hard core and already declared supporters of the various candidates. Prior to the start of the debate, the room was about one-quarter filled but when the sign holders came in from outside, it quickly became standing room only.

The debate was sponsored by the Sun, North Middlesex Savings Bank and the Nashoba Valley Chamber of Commerce. Was the location was selected to feature the Devens Commons? Most of us from the Merrimack Valley side of the 5th District are not that familiar with the Nashoba Valley side, so this was a good opportunity to visit.

Also, it gave the Sun an equally good opportunity to showcase Devens and have the issue of establishing it as Massachusetts town raised in this public forum. By the way, all the candidates when questioned on this issue, said it is a local matter.

The Sun’s web page includes a video clip of the event. Here is Hilary Chabot’s article and here is Matt Murphy’s. I do not agree with the headline “The Gloves Come Off” but there were some interesting exchanges between the candidates.

It is difficult in a debate of 1 ½ hour that includes 5 individuals to give a detailed report on what happened, and for the most part, Chabot and Murphy do a good job. Although the labeling of this as the “first general debate” is somewhat accurate, the other debates/forums were equally informative. By the way, this was my fourth and Lynne’s fifth. Granted the format may have differed somewhat but the candidates positions on issues has remained the same. I did notice since that first forum back in late March, they all have fine tuned their delivery, are much more comfortable with their presentations and are now working hard to develop an identity with those voters who are paying attention.

As an Eileen Donoghue supporter, I need to elaborate on a misleading comment that was made in the article about her position on the war and troop withdrawal. “Donoghue suggested a roughly 18-month period of departure,” is what appeared in the paper. What Eileen actually said was “I support setting a timetable and getting the troops home tomorrow. What that means, realistically, is that it would take us about 12-18 months at best to return the troops and the equipment home.”

I am sure that the other campaigns have the same gripe about some of the comments attributed to their candidates but those are the difficulties that reporters have in writing about such events. (more…)