To run for elected office, candidates need money. It’s just that simple.
President John F. Kennedy once joked: “I have just received the following wire from my generous Daddy. It says, Dear Jack: Don’t buy a single vote more than is necessary. I’ll be damned if I am going to pay for a landslide.”
And while nobody’s raising that kind of money for a local election in Carmel, each candidate has raised and from whom the money came. Candidates who kept their accounts open from the last election were required to file their campaign finance forms for 2014. New candidates in the upcoming election don’t need to file the reports until April before the May election.
Here are the following Campaign Finance reports that were filed and available as of Feb. 5.
Name: Jim Brainard
Office: Mayor
Total contributions and gifts in 2014 (including cash on hand): $227,227.63
Cash on hand to start the reporting period: $38,759.94
Expenditures: $84,709.80
Cash on hand and investments at the end of reporting period: $142,567.83
Notable contributions: DPBG Political Action Committee contributed $20,000. The PAC lists American Structurepoint engineering firm as its address. Michael Browning of Browning Investments, Buckingham Realty & Development and Terrence Flannery, spouse of Michael Feinstein, the artistic director at The Center for the Performing Arts, each contributed $10,000.
Name: Rick Sharp
Office: Current City Councilor now running for mayor
Total contributions and gifts in 2014 (including cash on hand): $94,064.26
Cash on hand to start the reporting period: $5,646.30
Expenditures: $24,214
Cash on hand and investments at the end of reporting period: $69,850.26
Notable contributions: Christopher McComas gave $8,000. E. Scott Treadway, Adam Gilliatte, JHM Properties, J.C. Hart, Platinum Properties, Falcon Nest and XVB all contributed $5,000 each.
Name: Laura Campbell
Office: Seeking vacant city council seat in the northwest district
Total contributions and gifts in 2014: $2,875
Cash on hand to start the reporting period: 0
Expenditures: $108.52
Cash on hand and investments at the end of reporting period: $2,766.48
Notable contributions: Laura Campbell donated $200 to her own campaign and Richard L. Diasio donated $2,500.
Name: Diana Cordray
Office: Re-election as clerk-treasurer
Total contributions and gifts in 2014 (including cash on hand): $12,843.22
Cash on hand to start the reporting period: $11,305.89
Expenditures: $250
Cash on hand and investments at the end of reporting period: $12,593.22
Notable contributions: Fifth Third Bancorp PAC and Wabash Scientific, a consulting firm hired by Cordray, both donated $500. Political action committees for State Rep. Jerry Torr donated $250. Correction: Judge Brian Poindexter did not donate $250 to Cordray’s campaign, but rather Cordray donated $250 to Poindexter.
Name: Ron Carter
Office: Re-election for an at-large city council seat
Total contributions and gifts in 2014 (including cash on hand): $12,279.33
Cash on hand to start the reporting period: $1,029.33
Expenditures: $1,073.54 (not including $3,457.09 in debt owed)
Cash on hand and investments at the end of reporting period: $10,575.79
Notable contributions: Terrance Flannery, Curt Coonrod, Bruce Donaldson, Nelson and Frankenberger, Barnes and Thornburg, Drewry Simmons Vornheim and the Carmel Professional Firefighters Union all donated $500 each.
Name: Sue Finkam
Office: Seeking re-election for city council northeast district
Total contributions and gifts in 2014 (including cash on hand): $15,503.83
Cash on hand to start the reporting period: $290.83
Expenditures: $2,745.21
Cash on hand and investments at the end of reporting period: $12,758.62
Notable contributions: Developer Steve Pittman, Anne Poindexter, KRG Finance, attorney Paul Reis and the Carmel Professional Firefighters Union all donated $500 each. The Carmel Fraternal Order of Police political action committee fund, Platinum Properties Management and TMS FFS Developers all donated $1,000 each.
Name: Kevin “Woody” Rider
Office: Seeking re-election for an at-large city council seat
Total contributions and gifts in 2014 (including cash on hand): $33,531.76
Cash on hand to start the reporting period: $955.76
Expenditures: $3,000 (listed for Divvy, LLC).
Cash on hand and investments at the end of reporting period: $30,531.76
Notable contributions: J.L Gershman and University Shoppes both donated $2,500. JC Hart Holdings donated $2,000. Justin Moffett’s Old Town Design Group donated $1,250. Buckingham Properties donated $1,000. Paul Reis, Premium Home Improvement, Drewry Simmons Vornheim, Lauth Property Group, Michael and Susan Wells and RK Locke & Associates all donated $750 each.
Name: Carol Schleif
Office: Seeking re-election for city council southwest district
Total contributions and gifts in 2014 (including cash on hand): $268.83
Cash on hand to start the reporting period: $118.83
Expenditures: $172.58 (doesn’t include $2,515 in debt owed)
Cash on hand and investments at the end of reporting period: $96.25
Notable contributions: Ronald Schleif donated $100 and Carol Schleif donated $50.
Name: Eric Seidensticker
Office: Seeking re-election for city council central district
Total contributions and gifts in 2014 (including cash): $2,903.38
Cash on hand to start the reporting period: $2,903.38
Expenditures: $0 (doesn’t include $590.93 in debt owed, lent by Seidensticker himself in 2007)
Cash on hand and investments at the end of reporting period: $2,903.38
Notable contributions: None
Name: Luci Snyder
Office: Seeking re-election for city council southeast district
Total contributions and gifts in 2014 (including cash): $7,680.04
Cash on hand to start the reporting period: $3,180.04
Expenditures: $2,295.22
Cash on hand and investments at the end of reporting period: $5,394.62
Notable contributions: John Pittman, Tom Buck, JEP Partners and SOM LLC all donated $1,000 each. Rick Sharp’s political action committee donated $500.
