BOE candidates raising big bucks

Contested races for the part-time Knox County school board seats are again drawing big bucks from many of the candidates’ supporters.

At this point, though, the contests probably won’t set any local Board of Education fund-raising records.

Still, two candidates raised well over $20,000 headed into the March 1 primaries and secured donations from some of Knoxville’s biggest players, including local politicians, businessmen and developers.

As it stands, four of the nine Board of Education seats are up for election this year, but only two are contested. The part-time seat pays roughly $21,500 a year, and members are tasked with helping the superintendent oversee an annual budget of more than $420 million.

The reporting period for the financial disclosures, which were due Monday, covers July 1, 2015 through Jan. 15.

Here’s a snapshot of the races:

2^nd District: In what is billed by a number of political observers as a “David and Goliath” contest, candidate Grant Standefer has raised the most of any candidate – $29,600.

His opponent, Jennifer Owen, has secured only $525, which is less than 2 percent of the total Standefer took in.

More than half of Standefer’s contributions are for more than $1,500, and come from a number of well-known local names.

For example, his supporters include Raja Jubran, CEO of Denark Construction; Pilot Corporation founder Jim Haslam and his wife, Natalie; PetSafe CEO and state economic and community development Commissioner Randy Boyd and his wife; and David Schmid of RLS Logistics.

In addition, outgoing school board member Doug Harris and his wife each donated $1,500.
Standefer has spent just under $3,200 during the filing period with most of it paid to Targeted Strategy for consulting and campaign photos.

Owen has spent $122, most of it on a voter database and postage.

5^th District: Buddy Pelot has raised the second most of any candidate, bringing in $23,750. He has not spent any of it so far. Most of the same big names that contributed to Standefer also donated to Pelot.

One opponent, Susan Horn, raised $5,105 and spent $1,262. The third candidate in the race, Lori Boudreaux, has raised almost $3,300 and spent $2,340.

No one challenged Tony Norman, a retired biology teacher and former Knox County commissioner, for the 3^rd District seat.

He reported raising $3,550 and spending no money, according to his finance summary. Yet, he recorded disbursements of almost $2,700, including payments for a reception and advertising.

In addition, no one challenged Mike McMillan, also a retired teacher, for the 8^th District seat.

McMillan, the only incumbent seeking re-election, raised only $450, the least amount of any of the candidates.

The most amount raised and spent in a Knox County school board race, according to a WBIR 10News analysis, was in 2014 by Tracie Sanger – a whopping total of $57,200.

Prior to that, Doug Harris raised and spent $46,600 in 2012.

Elections and Campaign Cash: Cost to run creeping up even in local races

Madeline Rogero needed about $6,800 in campaign cash when she successfully unseated then-2nd District Knox County Commissioner Jesse Cawood in 1990.

More than two decades later, she’d end of spending 70 times that amount to win the city’s mayoral seat.

When her current term is up in four years, local experts expect that race to cost even more.

It’s a trend, they said, and one that isn’t going away.

“Yes, it’s an unfortunate one and I don’t see it tapering off,” said Victor Ashe, who served as Knoxville’s mayor for 16 years and is now a local political columnist. “Certainly someone with the shoe leather can still prevail even if you’re outspent three-to-one, but in a larger race for city or county it becomes more difficult. You can’t meet all the voters.”

Ashe knows a thing or two about raising money.

Mark O'Gorman

As a state representative and state senator in the 1970s and 1980s, he routinely brought in $30,000 to $40,000 per campaign. But it wasn’t until 1987 when he decided to run for mayor that he truly needed the big bucks: at least $350,000.

“The money was no guarantee to win, but it sure helped,” Ashe said. “It gets you an ability to communicate directly to potential voters. It certainly enables you to be front and center in the voter’s mind.”

Mark O’Gorman, a political science professor at Maryville College, agreed.

“Money does two or three things,” he said. “It’s a strong indicator in terms of support of candidates. It shows that you can get money (and) it shows you have people who are willing to put their money where their mouth is. It’s a good pre-voting indicator.”

Experts note that each race is different and the amount raised is tied to the number of candidates and just how much effort those running put into the race. Those who spoke with WBIR 10News said there is no average amount or threshold per contest that someone seeking office needs to hit, and that money is certainly no guarantee to win. But, they said it’s getting more and more expensive to seek office, even in smaller contests like school board seats.

Rest of story RIGHT HERE.

Some haven't filed campaign forms

UPDATE: I've slightly tweaked this blog since it was posted yesterday.

Apparently in all the confusion a few elected officials forgot to file their campaign financial disclosure statements that were due today. Yes, due at 12:01 p.m. on Jan. 31, 2012. And yes, I was kidding about the confusion thing. Whatever.

Here's the apparent list of slackers:

• County Clerk Foster Arnett
• County Commission Chairman Mike Hammond
• County Commissioner Vice Chairman Brad Anders
• County Commissioner Amy Broyles

Note, that I said the “apparent list.” That's because officials also had the chance to mail in their forms. So, if one arrives at the Election Commission and it's certified and postmarked by Jan. 31, then it's still considered timely, according to head election honcho Cliff Rodgers.

County Trustee John Duncan III sent me a note, letting me know that he mailed his in.

Still, it really doesn't matter that some folks were late. All it does is create fodder for political opponents and Screams from da Porch.

The rest of the world, including the state lawmakers who could actually implement strict punishments, doesn't care.

Anyhoo, these latest disclosures cover July 1, 2011 through Jan. 15.

Here's a list of other top county officials and how much cash they have on hand:

(If you want more – like school people, judges, whoever, then click right smack here and start searching.)

• County Mayor Tim Burchett: $12,587
• Sheriff Jimmy “J.J.” Jones: $10,457
• Register of Deeds Sherry Witt: $6,838
• Criminal Court Clerk Joy McCroskey: $8,724
• Circuit Court Clerk Cathy Quist: $4,451
• Property Assessor Phil Ballard: $53,693
• Law Director Joe Jarret: $9,855
• County Commissioner Dave Wright: $1,065
• County Commissioner R. Larry Smith: $7,223
• County Commissioner Jeff Ownby: $91.69 (big spender)
• County Commissioner Ed Shouse: $6,206
• County Commissioner Tony Norman: $2,149
  

On a side note, here's some county race candidates:

• Property Assessor John Whitehead: $27,104
• Law Director: Richard “Bud” Armstrong: $16,879

On an additional side note, the following elected officials didn't file Tuesday, but didn't have to because they have closed their campaign accounts:

• County Commissioner Sam McKenzie
• County Commissioner Mike Brown
• County Commissioner (and good doctor) Richard Briggs

Property assessor finances released

On Friday, the good folks at the elections office sent me the campaign financial disclosure statements for Property Assessor Phil Ballard and his opponent, former assessor John Whitehead.

So far, they're the only two to announce their intentions to run for the office. The primary will be next March.

Personally, I don't see anyone else jumping in that has a spoiler's chance, but you never know. I hate calling elections early, but the word - at this point - is that it's Ballard's race to lose.

But, I will tell you, this is going to be a dirty, mud-slinging race. These two do not like each other, and already I've been given a bunch of information about each of them that doesn't paint pretty pictures.

I've checked out some of the rumors and haven't found anything. I still have a list of things to go though. I'm not sure when I'll write an actually story on the race - remember, we've got some time - so, I'll probably throw everything that does pan out into one big story.

Then again, maybe they'll be nothing. Maybe this will be a clean race. I somehow doubt it, though. That's no disrespect to either men. But, again, they are not exactly pals.

In the meantime, the two released their latest finance reports. (I think I already said that, but whatever.)

Ballard has almost $54,300 cash on hand. You can check out his most recent report by clicking right smack here.
Whitehead has a little more than $24, 400 cash on hand. You can check out his most recent report by clicking right smack here.