Campaign Finance Statements Show Vast Difference in Candidate Spending

Most candidates are printing campaign literature and buying signs — or replacing the stolen ones, in Dan Helix's case. Some, including Dan Helix and Tim McGallian with the help of the Concord Police Association, are spending thousands of dollars sending mailers to homes in Concord. On the other end of the scale, candidate Alany Helmantoler has spent a mere $75 and Vernon Kurpieski has spent nothing this period. Candidate Carol Longshore gave all her campaign money to charity.

The following information comes from the campaign finance statements submitted to the City of Concord for the period of Oct.1 to Oct. 20, 2012. The "total" fields represent the number provided by candidates on the summary pages of their statements. Any miscalculation is therefore present on the statements themselves. Candidates are presented in alphabetical order by surname, after information from the Concord Police Association.

One candidate — Robert Camacho — did not currently have a statement for this period on file, according to the City of Concord.

Here's where the cash is coming from and going to for 10 of the 11 Concord City Council candidates.

Concord Police Association

Contributions Amount ($) Expenditures Type* Amount ($) Individuals (Undisclosed) 9,250 Tim McGallian and Dan Helix for Concord City Council Campaign Ad 2,600 Ken Carlson for Pleasant Hill City Council Donation 500 Tim McGallian and Dan Helix for Concord City Council Campaign Mailer 3,770.36 Tim McGallian and Dan Helix for Concord City Council Campaign Mailer 4,153.38 Tim McGallian and Dan Helix for Concord City Council Campaign Mailer 3,028.36 Contra Costa Times Tim McGallian and Dan Helix for Concord City Council 2,600 Ken Carlson for Pleasant Hill City Council Contribution 500 AABCO Printing, Concord Tim McGallian and Dan Helix for Concord City Council 3,770.36 JB Services, Martinez Tim McGallian and Dan Helix for Concord City Council 7,181.74 Total (Given) 9,250

14,052.10

Edi Birsan

Contributions Amount ($) Expenditures Type* Amount ($) Individuals, Concord Residents (4) 1,299 JB Services, Martinez LIT 3,842.29 Unitemized Contributions Under $100
49 AABCO Printing, Concord LIT 2,040.69 Edi Birsan, Concord (Loan) 11,000 Total (Given) 5,848

5,882.98

Suzanne H. Davis-Lucey

Contributions Amount ($) Expenditures Type* Amount ($) Suzanne H. Davis-Lucey, Concord (Loan) 1,500 Adaptive Learning Center, Concord CVC 150 California Ford Action Fund, San Francisco CVC 50 Young Life, Concord CVC 50 NAMI, Arlington, VA CVC 50 COTA, Bloomington, IN CVC 120 City Ombudsman Services, Concord CVC 50 Sister City Concord Ambassadors, Concord CVC 80 Total (Given) 1,500

550

Dan Helix

Contributions Amount ($) Expenditures Type* Amount ($) Dist. Council of Iron Workers #831693 500 JB Services, Martinez POS - Direct Mail 1,659.25 Individuals, Concord Residents (1) 1,000 Statewide Info Sacramento POL - Research 1,144.61 Individuals, Non-Concord Residents (2) 1,150 JB Services, Martinez POS - Direct Mail 2798.3? Spencer Helix, Concord SAL - Repair and Replace Stolen Signs 200 Spotlight Design and Printing, San Francisco CMP 2,686.4? Mary Jo Rossi, Martinez CNS 3,000 Farm it Out! Design, Hebron, IL PRT - Design Print Ad 1,175 JB Services, Martinez POS - Direct Mail Citywide 17,262.8? Statewide Info Sacramento POL - Research 687.50 Farm it Out! Design, Hebron, IL PRT - Design Print Ad 600 Total (Given) 2,650

31,205

Alany Helmantoler 

Contributions Amount ($) Expenditures Type* Amount ($) Total (Given) 0 Not Listed N/A 72.51

Terry Kremin

Contributions Amount ($) Expenditures Type* Amount ($) Individuals, Concord-Residents (1) 50 COGS Signs, Modesto CMP - Campaign Signs 307.70 Unitemized Contributions Under $100 25 Unitemized Payments Made Under $100 N/A 124.86 Total (Given) 75

432.56

Harmesh Kumar

Contributions Amount ($) Expenditures Type* Amount ($) Individuals, Non-Concord Residents (29) 4,119 De'Shawn Woolridge for Contra Costa College District Ward 5 Trustee Contribution 200 Harmesh Kumar, Concord (Loan) 2,946 Kelly Hwang, CPA, Castro Valley PRO 250 Michael Leif Skramstad, Concord LIT 616 OPCCC, Martinez PRT 2,228 Promotion Express, San Leandor PRT 1,600 Friend Media, Tracy PRT 2,025 Neef Yeos Portillo Rodriguez, Antioch CNS 1,250 Greg Valentino, Concord CMP 200 Akido Printing, San Leandro PRT 602 Home Depot, Concord CMP 282 Costco, Concord CMP 143 Total (Given) 7,065

7,898

Vernon Kurpieski

Contributions Amount ($) Expenditures Type* Amount ($) Total 0

0

Carol Longshore

Contributions Amount ($) Expenditures Type* Amount ($) Individuals, Concord Residents (3) 145 Concord Graphic Arts, Concord LIT 532.88 Clayton Pioneer LIT 665 GoDaddy.com LIT - web 108.98 Total (Given) 145

1,306.84

Tim McGallian

Contributions Amount ($) Expenditures Type* Amount ($) Individuals, Concord Residents (3) 835 JB Services, Martinez LIT - Direct Mail 4,457.59 Individuals, Non-Concord Residents 100 USPS, Concord POS 257 DeNova Homes Inc., Concord 500 International Association of Firefighters, Local 1230 PAC 500 Carol Keane and Associates, CPAs, Walnut Creek 250 Legacy Risk and Insurance Services LLC, Walnut Creek  250 Freeman & Williams LLP, Carson City, NV 250 GCR Construction, Vacaville 500 Meadow Creek Group LLC, Concord 500 Pedder Properties INC, Fairfield 250 Locher Construction INC, Fairfield 500 Tim McGallian, Concord (Loan) 280.80 Total (Given) 4,435

4,764.83

Marnie Sheehan-Carter

Contributions Amount ($) Expenditures Type Amount ($) Unitemized Contributions Under $100 25 Minuteman Press, Concord LIT - Cardstock 106.49 Marnie Sheehan-Carter (Loan) 2,043.61 Political Lawn Signs, Neenah, WI LIT - Yard Signs 1,776.40 StatMan4U, Wilmington, NC CMP - Campaign Services 52.05 Spotlight Design and Printing, San Francisco LIT - Postcards 52.08 Total (Given) 2,068.61 2,068.61

*Codes: CMP = campaign paraphernalia/misc, CNS = campaign consultants, FIL = candidate filing, FND = fundraising events, LIT = campaign literature and mailings, MTG = meetings and appearances, OFC = office expenses, POS = postage, PRO = professional services, PRT = print ads, SAL = campaign workers' salaries, TEL = TV or cable airtime and production, RAD = radio airtime and production, WEB = internet, email.

What's your analysis of the cash flow for the Concord City Council candidates? Does it reveal anything about their support or intentions? Share your thoughts in the comments below.