By Brian Wheeler
Charlottesville Tomorrow
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Supervisor
David L. Slutzky
, a Democrat running for re-election to the Rio seat on the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors, now leads all board candidates in total fundraising for the Nov. 3 general election. The latest campaign finance data was published Friday by the
Virginia Public Access Project
and includes all monies raised through September.
|
Albemarle Supervisor Candidate |
Amount raised through Sept 30th |
|
Jack Jouett District |
|
|
Dennis Rooker (I) – Incumbent | $70,405 |
|
Rio District | |
|
David Slutzky (D) – Incumbent | $71,115 |
|
Rodney Thomas (R) – Challenger | $52,085 |
|
Samuel Miller District | |
|
Madison Cummings (D) | $19,180 |
|
John Lowry (I) | $17,384 |
|
Duane Snow (R) | $18,903 |
|
Source: Virginia Public Access Project |
Slutzky also raised the greatest individual total in September, bringing in $25,845 in new contributions and his overall total is now $71,115. According to the VPAP database, Slutzky’s largest contribution was $10,000, from real estate developer Mark Fried of Crozet.
Fried responded to an interview request by providing a statement about his contribution to Slutzky’s campaign.
“He is the brightest, best informed and most knowledgeable person running for a board seat,” Fried said.
David Poole, VPAP executive director, said in an interview that there is no ceiling on the amount of money that can be contributed in a state or local campaign.
“Virginia is one of a handful of states that has no limits on contributions,” Poole said. “Anyone can give – individuals, companies, limited partnerships, PACs – and a donor’s ability to give is limited only by the amount of money in their checking account.”
In the most recent filing period, the six supervisor candidates raised a combined total of $72,451, with almost 70 percent of that amount going into the Rio District race.
Rodney S. Thomas
, a Republican challenging Slutzky for the Rio seat, raised slightly less than his opponent, with a total of $23,905 in new contributions. Thomas has raised a total of $52,085 in the campaign.
The Virginia Association of Realtors made two contributions to Thomas last month totaling $15,000, including $10,000 Thomas received with an initial endorsement by the Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors.
According to CAAR’s president, Michael Guthrie, local Realtors decided to make a second contribution to Thomas in late September.
“CAAR has determined that Rodney Thomas will be a great defender of the property rights that so many local farmers and landowners are concerned about,” Guthrie said in an e-mail. “We feel so strongly that [Thomas] is the right candidate to protect our property rights and minimize the tax burden on residents, that we asked the state association of Realtors to help with $5,000 in additional funding.”
In the three-way race for the open Samuel Miller District seat, Republican
Duane Snow
has virtually caught up with Democrat
Madison Cummings
in overall fundraising. Snow has now raised a total of $18,903 to Cummings’ $19,180.
John Lowry
, an independent candidate, has raised $17,384 during the campaign.
Snow brought in $10,793 in September, including two $2,500 donations – one from real estate developer Ivy Road Properties and one from the Virginia Association of Realtors.
In September, Cummings added $9,095 to his campaign coffers. The largest donor was the local Democratic Party, which contributed $3,700.
Lowry raised the least amount in September, with $2,813 in new fundraising. The next candidate fundraising reports are due Oct. 26 and will include all donations received in the first three weeks of October.
