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With the final campaign expenditures for the November elections in on Jan. 31, it became definitive that the top spender was the losing challenger for District 7: George Beier. 

In all, Beier spent $107,658.82 on the elections, taking $61,841 from his own deep pocket. (The $107,658 does not include the $18,000 contributed to Beier’s campaign by the Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee.)  

The amount the campaign paid per vote comes to $57.57. 

Some of the big spenders donating to the Beier campaign during the Oct. 22–Dec. 31 period include a number of developers who signed up for $250 a pop, including, Fourth Street developer Denny Abrams, Library Gardens developer John DeClerq, John Gordon of Gordon Commercial and the California Real Estate Political Action Committee. Development company Hudson-McDonald was represented by separate donations from the principals, Evan McDonald and Christopher Hudson, and their wives.  

Councilmember Kriss Worthington, who won the election for District 7, said he was particularly concerned by the large amount of personal funds contributed. 

“I pray it doesn’t start a trend that rich people try to buy elections,” he said. 

Worthington spent $51,383 on the election and won with 2,119 votes. He spent about $24.25 per vote, none of it from his own pocket. 

While Beier collected donations from 76 contributors during the period, Worthington collected donations from 126 sources.  

Worthington received seven $250 donations from unions, including: Public Employees Union Local 1; Northern California District Council, ILWU; Sprinklers, Fitters and Apprentices, Local 438 Political Action Committee; Service Employees International Union 616; SEIU Local 535, Berkeley Firefighters Association; SEIU Local 790; and SEIU Health Care Workers.  

City officials who gave Worthington funds during this period included City Councilmember Darryl Moore, $200, and Mayor Tom Bates, who, notably, gave his $250 donation only on Dec. 1, after the close election was clearly decided in Worthington’s favor. 

District 4 

Challenger Raudel Wilson, who moved to Hercules soon after losing the election to Dona Spring, picked up $19,304 to garner 1,228 votes. He spent $15.72 per vote. 

Wilson’s late contributors include a number of developers and their spouses who gave $250 each, including Carolen and Doughlas Herst, Evan McDonald and Christopher Hudson, of Hudson McDonald LLC, and UC Berkeley professor and developer David Teece at $250. 

None of the 15 contributors for the last period live in District 4 and eight of the 15 contributors were from outside Berkeley. 

Incumbent Councilmember Dona Spring spent $21,620 on the campaign, winning with 3,127 votes, each costing $6.91. 

Spring got 12 contributions for the last period, five from within the district, nine from Berkeley and three from elsewhere. Spring’s donations per individual were more modest, with only one of the 12, Landmarks Commissioner Carrie Olson, giving $250. Other funders included environmental attorney Norman La Force at $175 and $100 from Lesley Emmington Jones, an employee of the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association and $150 from progressive author Michael Parenti. 

Dictrict 8 

In District 8, incumbent City Councilmember Gordon Wozniak spent $57,743 to win and received 2,730 votes, which means that each vote cost him $21.15. 

Supporters include community activist Martha Jones, who gave $150 and a number of scientists from Lawrence Berkeley National Labs, from which Wozniak is retired, including Warren Byrne ($100), Chuck McFarland ($200) and Art Poskanzer ($100). 

He also received $250 from the California Real Estate Political Action Committee, $100 from John DeClerq of Eng Properties, $100 from Anika Thede of Northbrae Properties and $250 from Fourth Street developer Denny Abrams. 

Student Jason Overman spent $9,053 to win 1,580 votes, spending $5.73 per vote.  

Contributions included those that came from SEIU 535 ($250), fellow Rent Board Member Howard Chong, ($200) and Councilmember Dona Spring ($250). 

District 1 

In District 1, Linda Maio spent only $2,707 to win 3,746 votes. That’s 72 cents per vote. Maio reported two contributions, one $100 check from veterinarian Diane Sequoia and a $250 donation from SEIU 535. Challenger Merrilie Mitchell, who received 1,126 votes spent no funds on the election. 

Mayor 

In the mayor’s race, incumbent Mayor Tom Bates spent $104,626 and won with 25,680 votes. That’s $4.07 per vote. Challenger Zelda Bronstein, who picked up 12,652 votes, spent $35,085—or $2.77 per vote. 

Bates received a mix of contributions from unions, developers and elected officials. The unions which supported Bates at $250 each during this election period included Northern California Carpenters, Operating Engineers Local 3, SEIU Healthcare Workers West, SEIU 790, SEIU 535, Sheet Metal Workers Local 104 and Teamsters Local 853 and $250 from the Drive Committee PAC, affiliated with the Teamsters. 

Developers who weighed in with $250 donations include Chris Hudson and Evan McDonald of Hudson McDonald, Phil Tagami of California Commercial Investments and UC Berkeley professor-developer David Teece. Elected officials contributing $250 included former Assemblymember Wilma Chan and Supervisor Keith Carson. 

Bates also got $250 from the California Real Estate Political Action Committee (as Bronstein had earlier). 

Bronstein’s contributions came from a wide range of donors: the Berkeley Board of Realtors gave $200, Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association employee Lesley Emmington Jones gave $100, Phyllis Dalhinow, retired professor from UC Berkeley contributed $250, Rebecca Dalhinow, assistant professor at Fullerton State University gave $150. 

Mayoral hopeful Christian Pecaut filed campaign statements only through Oct. 21, indicating he had spent $176, and candidate Zachary Running Wolf did not file any campaign finance statements at all. 

Detailed campaign spending can be found at the Berkeley City Clerk’s website: www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/Elections/campaign/default.htm