With six candidates vying for three seats on the Arcadia City Council Tuesday, and two of them well-funded relative unknowns in the community, overall spending on this election was already at a presumed record of more than $240,000 by March 27, according to records at the Arcadia City Clerk’s office on April 8.
One candidate alone spent nearly as much as the other five combined and a whopping $101,000 more than one of the incumbent candidates.
That is the last filing required before the April 13 election, though more spending in the final and intense 2 1/2 weeks will be reported later.
Paul Cheng
Paul Cheng, by far the youngest candidate at 33-years-old, and one of the two least known, raised and spent the most of any of the six. That would seem to make sense for an attorney who needs to compensate for his youth, inexperience in political campaigns, and unfamiliarity to voters. But it is the actual dollar figure that has raised many eyebrows: $112,000, which is three or four times the high end of average for a typical campaign of year’s past. $70,000 of that came in a loan from his mother and another $9,400 was loans from himself and from Alexander Chen ($5k), a combined 71% of his overall contributions. The remaining $32,600 in expenditures has been raised with the help of 46 contributions of $100 or more, but only three of $2,000 or more. (Contributions of less than $100 are not reported.) – In addition to contributions to Cheng of $2,010 and $2,500 from individuals, both Cheng and Mickey Segal each received a $2,000 donation from Soo Properties at 25 E. Huntington Dr.
Bob Harbicht
On the other side of the age coin, Bob Harbicht, the most experienced candidate with 12 years on the Council and several turns as Mayor, and the oldest candidate who, at age 69, is seeking another four-year term, raised and spent the least amount of money. That would also seem a logical strategy for anyone thinking with all that name recognition that maybe he didn’t need to spend as much as lesser-known newcomers. Half of Harbicht’s $12,000 in contributions came from a $4,000 personal loan from himself to his campaign and $2,000 from the Arcadia Police Officers Association (APOA). He had four other contributions over $100, each ranging from $125 – $250. As of March 27 he had spent nearly $11,000.
No candidate received more than $2,500 from any single contributor and there were only a handful of contributions in excess of $2,000 across the board. In fact, the Arcadia Police Officers Association contribution of $2,000 to each of the three candidates they are endorsing was the biggest or near-biggest single contribution for Sho Tay, Mickey Segal, and Harbicht.
Peter Amundson
Many of the candidates bankrolled nearly all or a significant majority percentage of their campaigns, such as Peter Amundson‘s $35,500 loan to his own campaign, which represents 87% of his total expenses of nearly $41,000 thus far. He has had 24 contributions of at least $100 or more, but none reached $2,000.
Sho Tay
Similarly, Sho Tay‘s personal payments of $23,000 to his campaign represents 75% of his $30,697 in spending. He has had 16 contributions of at least $100 but only one of at least $2,000 (the APOA).
Mickey Segal
In addition to his $2,000 from the APOA and $2,000 from Soo Properties, Segal loaned his own campaign $2,000. Beyond that $6,000, he has spent another $11,562. He received a total of 13 contributions of at least $100 each.
Jason Lee
Finally, Jason Lee is the financial anomaly in this group. He has spent $28,423 without loaning himself more than 42% of his spending and without a single contribution of $2,000 or more, as of March 27. Lee has 47 contributions of at least $100 each, and still had $8,427 yet to be spent from the $36,850 that he had received thus far.
— By Scott Hettrick