VALLEJO – Vallejo City Council candidates spent a combined $42,000 since the end of September in hopes to be elected to one of the three council seats up for grabs, according to campaign finance forms reviewed by the Vallejo Sun.
The campaigns filed their final financial reports ahead of Tuesday’s election. The reporting period spanned from Sept. 25 to Oct. 22.
John Glidden
Local businesswoman Tara Beasley-Stansberry led the way in expenditures, spending $11,679 in her bid to represent District 5 - Central Vallejo, on the seven-person city council. The campaign’s biggest expenditures were for campaign literature and $3,250 for advertising with Outfront Media.
Beasley-Stansberry, who co-owns Noonie’s Place restaurant, also received $3,425 in cash contributions during the same timeframe. The campaign reported receiving more $2,000 from unions including $750 from the Laborer's International Union of North America Local 324, $500 each from the Teamsters Local 315 and the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers Local 21, and $250 from the Bricklayers, Tilesetters and Allied Craftworkers Local 3.
Other notable donations included $500 from Fairfield City Councilmember Chuck Timm, who is also running for election to the Solano County Board of Supervisors, $500 from Rebekah Truemper, $100 from retired Santa Rosa city attorney Brien Farrell, and $100 from Solano County businesswoman Rochelle Sherlock.
Meanwhile, District 2 candidate and planning commissioner Diosdado “JR” Matulac had the only other campaign to nearly spend $10,000 during the same reporting period. Matulac’s campaign spent $9,282, with his biggest expense of $4,900 being spent on campaign literature with the Vallejo-based Wheeler-Sonoma Printers. The campaign also spent $3,900 on campaign mailings.
The Matulac campaign picked up more than $7,500 in cash, including $2,000 from the Vallejo Chamber of Commerce, $750 from the Laborer's International Union of North America Local 324, $500 from the Operating Engineers Local Union No. 3, $250 from the Bricklayers, Tilesetters and Allied Craftworkers Local 3 Union.
Other notable contributions included $2,000 from local businessman Buck Kamphausen, $500 from businessman CC Yin, $250 from Gregory Schoepp, who operates Vallejo Holistic Health Center cannabis business, and $100 from former Vallejo councilmember Hermie Sunga.
Former Planning Commissioner Chris Platzer spent more than $5,300 during the same time period in his bid to represent District 4, which includes downtown Vallejo and Mare Island. Almost all of that, $5,000, was spent with Wheeler-Sonoma Printers for campaign literature.
Platzer received an additional $1,000 from Kamphausen, who had already donated $3,000 to Platzer’s campaign, plus $1,000 from the Napa-Solano Central Labor Council and $500 from the District Council of IronWorkers Political Action League. The campaign also received $2,000 from Maximilian Platzer, while Chris Plazter gave his campaign $1,100 in cash.
The other District 4 candidates reported spending a combined $4,000, with former Vallejo school board Trustee Ruscal Cayangyang spending $2,500 while Planning Commissioner Charles Palmares spent nearly $1,500 during the same timeframe.
Cayangyang’s campaign reported receiving $827 in cash contributions, including $100 from the Solano County Orderly Growth Committee, and $100 from Jovanka Beckles, who serves on the AC Transit Board of Directors.
A fourth candidate, Ravi Shankar, didn’t submit any financial information for the second reporting period. His campaign previously reported not raising or spending any money.
The remaining District 5 candidates were more active as Planning Commissioner Melissa Bowman spent $4,200, with the largest expense of $2,800 being spent on a billboard advertisement along Interstate 80. The campaign reported receiving $339 in cash since the end of September including $100 from Vice Mayor Rozzana Verder-Aliga, and $100 from Sir Winston Business Services. Bowman also gave the campaign a $4,000 loan.
Healthcare administrator Peter Bregenzer spent $3,370, with nearly all of that amount being spent on campaign literature.
Fellow District 5 candidate Dwight Monroe Jr. spent $300. It is unclear what college career advisor Tanya Hall spent on her campaign as her information wasn’t available on the city’s website.
The remaining District 2 candidates also spent about $4,000 as Cassandra James, who serves on the Housing and Community Development Commission, spent $2,300 while local realtor Don Jordan’s campaign had more than $1,600 in expenditures.
James’ campaign raised $10,648 in cash with a bulk of the money coming from unions, including $4,900 from the Service Employees International Union Local 1021 and $1,800 from the Dignity CA SEIU Local 2015. Other notable cash contributions included $150 from retired Santa Rosa city attorney Brien Farrell, $100 from Vallejo councilmember Pippin Dew and $100 from Suisun City councilmember Wanda Williams, who is also seeking election to the Solano County Board of Supervisors.
Jordan further reported receiving $200 from former Vallejo councilmember Foster Hicks.
Community advocate Garrett Toles reported no expenditures during the same period.
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