Council Candidates Cash In on Contributions

By Teresa Rochester and Jorge Casuso

City Council challengers Herb Katz and Rob Ross are far ahead of the other 11 council hopefuls in their fundraising efforts, each garnering more than $20,000 as of September 30, according to the latest campaign finance disclosure statements.

Katz, who previously served two terms on the council, has raised $28,848, while Ross, a newcomer to local politics, has raised $21,065, thanks to a $13,000 loan he made to his campaign.

The three incumbents each raised less than $13,000, but they can count on Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights hefty war chest, which held $108,451 at the end of last month. The money will be used to send election mailers and canvass voters on behalf of the endorsed candidates, who according to election law can have no say in the SMRR effort.

Councilman Michael Feinstein tops the list of incumbents, having raised $12, 916, $4,916 of that during the most recent filing period, which ran from July 1 to September 30. Feinstein's campaign funds were bolstered by an $8,000 personal loan.

Councilman Richard Bloom raised a total of $11,954, $500 of which he lent to his campaign. Mayor Ken Genser raised $1,599.

Challengers Chuck Allord and Donna Block were the only other council candidates who reported any contributions to their campaigns.

Allord has raised $1,350, including a $100 personal loan, while Block has raised a total of $1,475, most of it in the form of a $1,200 personal loan. Block's running mate, David Cole, had raised no money as of September 30.

The other five council candidates reported no contributions. They are Edward Curnel, Don Gray, Richard Horner, Jerry Rubin and Jon Stevens.

The candidates counted on a wide range of contributors - from City employees and board members to hotel executives and movie producers.

Katz's contributors included School Board president Todd Hess and Santa Monica College administrator Don Girard, as well as fellow challenger Rob Ross. Other contributors were Santa Monica Amusements (which runs the fun zone on the pier), Bayside Hotel, Cal Mar Hotel, two executives from the Edward Thomas Management Co. (which owns Casa del Mar and Shutters on the Beach hotels), Radisson Huntley Hotel, Santa Monica Place, Sea Castle Partners and two high-ranking employees of RAND Corporation.

Feinstein's contributors included Councilman Kevin McKeown -- a fellow Green Party member who also contributed to Bloom and Genser --, the Santa Barbara Green Party, former School Board president and Bayside District board member Patricia Hoffman and Planning Commissioner Barbara Brown. Other contributors were Board of Education candidate Gleam Davis, as well as two City employees -- one from Rent Control Board, the other from the Housing Department -- and the Santa Monica Pier Lessee's Association.

Rob Ross received a donation from legendary B Movie producer Roger Corman. Civic leader Bob Gabriel, a former councilman, contributed to Block's campaign.