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Abe-Koga's campaign war chest hits city's limit
All six candidates agree to spend less than $20,000

by Daniel DeBolt

A tradition of keeping campaign spending to a minimum appears to be alive and well in Mountain View. Of the six candidates for City Council, only two appear to have done any real fundraising, with Margaret Abe-Koga out front with $21,709 raised so far.

From January to the end of September, Mayor Ronit Bryant was the only other candidate to do any real fundraising with $6,161 in her account before expenses, while incumbent Jac Siegel is paying the lion's share of his own campaign so far with a $6,000 loan to himself and $6,721 in total funds.

Challengers Dan Waylonis, Greg David and Aaron Jabbari say they will not be spending more than $1,000, which exempts them from having to disclose their campaign financing.

Abe-Koga's $21,709 is just over the city's voluntary expenditure limit this year of $20,159. Abe-Koga and the rest of the candidates have agreed not to spend more than $20,159 and in exchange the city will help fund the printing of their ballot statements.

Abe-Koga's campaign donors are too numerous to list, but include the only contribution to a candidate so far from the Mountain View Peace Officers Association ($500), the California Apartment Association ($750), Acco Management Co. in Mountain View ($500), District Attorney Jeff Rosen ($100), Woodmont Real Estate L.L.P. ($500) and donations of $100- $250 from numerous supporters.

Bryant has raised $6,161 so far this year, $3,000 of which is a loan from herself. Her campaign donations include $100 from the California League of Conservation Voters and $250 from Charles Gardyn, who is seeking to redevelop the La Costena building at Rengstorff Avenue and Old Middlefield Way.

While Jabbari had not submitted any campaign finance disclosures by the city's Tuesday deadline, he said Wednesday that he planned to file paperwork stating he would spend less than $1,000. David and Waylonis have indicated the same on forms already submitted to the city clerk.

E-mail Daniel DeBolt at ddebolt@mv-voice.com