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Greenbelt Alliance In the News

October 4, 2005

Millions spent to back housing plan

In financial disclosure reports filed last week, Citizens for Livermore Trails reported raising $822,000 between July 1 and Sept. 24, including $72,325 in non-monetary contributions. That brings the yearly total to nearly $2.2 million, almost all of it from Pardee itself.

Livermore Tomorrow, a separate campaign committee that supports Pardee, reported raising $6,867 from 23 donors during the latest period, and $7,785 for the year. Of the total, $5,000 came from Pamela Corbett of Livermore Travel.

Meanwhile, Friends of Livermore, the anti-Pardee campaign committee, said it raised nearly $57,000 from July 1 to Sept. 24, for a yearly total of $89,670. Most of the nearly 200 donors from the latest period are listed as Livermore residents.

Resident Bob Baltzer contributed $15,100 to fight Pardee, the report says. Another $5,000 came from the Livermore-based Preserve Area Ridgelands Committee, $2,500 from the San Francisco-based Greenbelt Alliance, $1,030 from Livermore resident Jeanne Bardellini and $1,000 from Livermore resident Margaret Tracy.

In the race for Livermore mayor, incumbent Marshall Kamena reported raising $27,305 since July 1. Challenger David Mertes said he raised $25,124, including a $4,000 loan from himself. Neither candidate reported donations prior to July 1.

Individual contributions to candidates, unlike those for ballot measures, are limited to $250.

Mertes, who supports the Pardee project, received several contributions from real estate and development interests. But he also got backing from several local teachers and school administrators, former mayors John Shirley and Cathie Brown, current Councilwoman Lorraine Dietrich, former council members Ayn Wieskamp and John Stein and council candidate Tom Bramell.

Kamena, seeking a third two-year term as mayor, opposes Pardee and has received several donations from Livermore's slow-growth forces, including Baltzer and council members Tom Reitter and Marj Leider. But he also got some money from development interests, including Richard Doty and people associated with Pinn Bros. Construction and Mission Valley Development. Other donors included the Livermore-Pleasanton Firefighters; Inge Houston, wife of Assemblyman Guy Houston, R-San Ramon; and former Livermore mayors Archer Futch, Helen Tirsell and Dale Turner.

Realtor Bill Aboumrad was the top fund-raiser among five candidates seeking two council seats. Since July 1, he has raised $16,900, including a $3,000 loan from himself, for a yearly total of $26,024. Aboumrad co-owns a RE/MAX office in Livermore and manages one in Fremont. Many of his donors work for RE/MAX and in real estate-related trades.

Incumbent Reitter reported raising $4,945 for the latest period, for an annual total of $9,040. Candidate John Marchand, who also opposes Pardee, raised $4,185, or $6,210 for the year. Candidates Bramell and Stein did not collect donations before June 30. Bramell raised $11,174 since then, and Stein collected $7,332.

Bonita Brewer covers of Livermore. Reach her at bbrewer@cctimes.com or 925-847-2120.

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