The Cost of Campaigning: City Council Race

Candidates for the Piedmont City Council have so far spent a combined total of $35,759 on their campaigns – about $3.35 per resident, whether of voting age or not – according to the most recent campaign disclosure statements filed with the state and the's office last week.

Three candidates are vying for two seats on the council in the Feb. 7 election: incumbent Margaret Fujioka, Robert (Bob) McBain and Tim Rood. Fujioka is seeking reelection, while Mayor Dean Barbieri has termed out. The two top vote-getters will be elected.

To date, Margaret Fujioka has spent $13,327.49 on her campaign, including expenditures for a Registrar of Voters list, mailing materials and postage, flyers, lawn signs, website design, food for campaign volunteers and advertising (which includes $375 for advertising on Piedmont Patch).

Contributions to her campaign to date total $20,956 from 56 donors.

Donors contributing $500 or more were Raymond Marshall, Piedmont, attorney; Henry Chan, entrepreneur, San Francisco; M. Quinn Delaney, Oakland, a grantmaker with the Akonadi Foundation; Wayne Jordan, Oakland, real estate investor; Annon Rodan, Oakland, business executive; Jonathan Leong, Piedmont, self-employed manager; Christine Noma, Burlingame, attorney; Mary Ellen Herringer, San Francisco, retired; Nancy Lehrkind, Piedmont, real estate broker; Kenneth Mattson, Vacaville, financial services; and Mike Hsieh, Oakland, venture capitalist.

Bob McBain has spent $7,079 to date, including expenses for campaign literature and materials, mailing and postage, filing fees, professional services and advertising.

Contributions to his campaign so far total $10,374.99 from 19 donors, with no one contributing $500 or more.

Campaign expenses for Tim Rood to date come to $15,353.70 for campaign literature and other materials, postage, online payment services (PayPal), website costs (including video and editing) and advertising (including $233.97 for advertising on Piedmont Patch).

Contributions to date total $18,054 from 67 donors.

Donors contributing $500 or more were Ryan Gilbert, Piedmont, chief executive officer, BillFloat; Stephen Weiner, Piedmont, retired; Elizabeth Schultz, Piedmont, attorney; Mary Heller, Piedmont, psychologist; Jeff Blaney, Piedmont, scientist; Narciso Jaramillo, Piedmont, software designer; Richard Campodonico, Piedmont, retired; Philip Liebscher, Piedmont, senior software designer; Garrett Keating, Piedmont, environmental scientist (and current member of the Piedmont City Council); and Rood himself.

For a look at the costs of city council campaigns in the two previous elections, see the article "City Council Run Takes Big Bucks."