Hi all - I hope to have a Veteran's Day piece sometime later today. But here's the morning's news. Thanks to Norma and "Benicia Deep Throat" :-)

Keep your story ideas and research coming, folks! Write me at rogrmail@beniciaindependent.com. Letters to the editor should include your name, address and phone number, and you will often save me a step if you include explicit permission to publish your letter.

Roger Straw
Editor, The Benicia Independent

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Update on Outside Money In Benicia Election

Winners had least amount of outside money

By Norma Fox

BENICIA, CA / November 11, 2007, 8:40 AM According to the latest financial statements (listing data through 11/6), total spending reported in the Benicia election so far is $240,700 and 2/3 of that ($160,000) came from out-of-town sources.

Reports turned in to the City Clerk as of Friday, Nov. 8, showed that three Political Action Committees (PACs) have spent a total of $82,800 in out-of-town money in Benicia’s election. This -- added to the $77,200 out-of-town money contributed directly to the candidates (mainly Strawbridge) -- brings the grand total of out-of-town money to $160,000.

The $82,800 spent by the three independent PAC groups consisted of $31,600 from the United Workers for Local Government (a coalition of trade unions, civic, fire & police unions); $31,200 from Benicia Local Government Accountability Coalition (construction-related businesses with close ties to Al Seeno, developer of proposed Benicia Business Park); and $20,000 from California Citizens for Excellence in Government (refinery-related businesses with links to Valero.

Outside money contributed directly to all five candidates in the election came to over $77,200. Council candidate Scott Strawbridge received $66,400 in contributions, of which $61,000 was from out of town (91%), mostly from trade unions and some corporations. The remaining $5,400 included a $2,500 loan to himself. An additional $16,200+ in outside money was contributed directly to the other four candidates (two for Mayor, and two others for Council).

The three winning candidates in the election all received the lowest amounts from out-of-town contributors: Mayoral candidate Elizabeth Patterson received $1,300; Council candidate Tom Campbell received $2,570; Council candidate Mike Ioakimedes received $5,280.

The total of In-Town contributions to all five candidates came to approximately $80,700.

To read more details about the outside money sources that swamped Benicia’s election, visit:
http://beniciaelection2007.blogspot.com
And for related articles visit:
http://benicianews.blogspot.com
http://www.beniciafirst.org

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A very interesting election

In-Town money speaks

By "Benicia Deep Throat"
[Editor's note: Journalists will sometimes need to protect their sources. Quoting an anonymous source will not get this editor fired!]

BENICIA, CA / November 11, 2007, 9:11 AM It's interesting to me that the level of IN TOWN contributions matches the final outcome of the election!

Elizabeth Patterson, Tom Campbell, and Mike Ioakimedes had the highest IN TOWN contributions and won their elections.

Patterson
$5073 + $5610 + $7350 = $18,033
VOTES: 3,978
Whitney
$4100 + $7085 = $11,185
VOTES: 3,801

Campbell
$10690 + $4719 + $844 = $16,253
VOTES -- 4,511
Ioakimedes
$4073 + $6177 = $10,250
VOTES - 4,423
Strawbridge
$2795 + $1410 = $4,205
VOTES - 3,628

It would appear that Benicia could use some meaningful campaign reform so we can keep our elections IN TOWN!

Perhaps we could have everybody in town PLEDGE money to a candidate -- then, whoever has the largest number of PLEDGES shall win the election! And, then, all the money could be turned over to the schools. I guess that wouldn't work -- then the rich would be deciding the outcome of the elections. Oh well!