Candidates push for the finish line Candidates push for the finish line (October 29, 2003)

Mossar, Lytle pull in big bucks in final weeks of election

by Bill D'Agostino

The Palo Alto City Council incumbents viewed as the least likely to be re-elected stepped up their fund-raising efforts in recent weeks.

Councilwoman Nancy Lytle and Mayor Dena Mossar lagged behind other candidates prior to mid-September, raising approximately half the amount of money as other candidates.

But in the campaign's final weeks (election day is Nov. 4), both appear to have been galvanized, perhaps as criticism from political opponents intensified.

Lytle has been pinned by opponents as the reason for the council's bitter divide. Mossar has been criticized recently by residential groups who view her as too pro-development.

Eleven candidates, including four incumbents and one write-in candidate, are fighting for four seats on the nine-member Palo Alto City Council.

Between Sept. 21 and Oct. 18, Mossar raised the most of any candidate: $6,757, bringing her total to $19,730.

In that timeframe, Lytle raised $5,080, for a total of $15,107.

No other candidates raised more than $4,000 during those 27 days. (All totals include both cash and non-monetary contributions.)

Although Mossar has received criticism for accepting money from real estate developers, such as $250 from Jim Baer, Lytle has also received money from developers -- including $500 from Richard Peery.

Most of the money given to the two candidates have come from active community residents.

Despite cooling off from an earlier fund-raising push, Vice Mayor Bern Beecham has still raised the most contributions to date --- $26,183. He only raised $4,014 in the 27 days.

Harold "Skip" Justman is the next-best overall fund raiser, having secured $24,804. But of the five top candidates, he raised the least recently -- only $2,615.

Justman has received a substantial portion of his money from developers and real estate interests, including $250 from John McNellis -- who is attempting to rebuild the Alberton's on Alma Street. In debates, Justman has criticized the so-called "Palo Alto process" for slowing the revamp of the grocery store.

Councilwoman Judy Kleinberg has raised $16,698, with $4,079 coming in the latest reporting period.

Unlike other cities, Palo Alto does not have a campaign spending cap, either voluntary or involuntary.

Because of her concerns about the role of money in campaigns, challenger LaDoris Cordell is not accepting donations. She has, so far, loaned her campaign $3,000 of her own money.

The other five candidates are also not actively fund raising, or have not raised much money.

In addition to her fund-raising boost, Mossar's campaign also got good news last week when all three newspapers covering the city (Palo Alto Weekly, Palo Alto Daily News, and the Mercury News) endorsed her, while none endorsed Lytle.

Perhaps to counter the negative press of their favored candidates, at least one political group is advocating a "rifle gun voting" technique, where voters cast ballots for fewer candidates than there are seats.

"Although there are four open seats, casting fewer than four votes can increase the election chances of your selected candidates," advocated MPACT (Midpeninsula Action for Tomorrow) in a press release. The group supports Lytle, Cordell and Kleinberg.

E-mail Bill D'Agostino at bdagostino@bdagostino@paweekly.com