New reports show PACs at work in Austin Council races

As everyone is keenly aware, there’s an important election coming up next week. Not just the federal contest, but also City Council races. The candidates have now turned in their final campaign finance reports before the Nov. 5 election. These reports indicate not only how successful they have been in raising money but also who might be working to influence voters by promoting those candidates. This includes political action committees – also known as PACs.

One group hoping to influence Austin elections this year is called Vibrant Austin Political Action Committee. The urbanist group is supporting District 10 candidate Ashika Ganguly and District 6 candidate Krista Laine. Ganguly is running against Marc Duchen for the West Austin seat currently held by Council Member Alison Alter. Laine is attempting to unseat incumbent Council Member Mackenzie Kelly.

According to their website, “Vibrant Austin PAC is committed to supporting down-ballot candidates who champion policies that address the critical issues of affordable housing and public transit. We recognize that these interrelated challenges are central to creating a more equitable and livable city for all Austin residents.”

Vibrant Austin reported it recently raised about $9,000 and spent $21,000, but still had more than $40,000 in the bank.

The group also got $5,000 from another PAC called Way to Lead in Phoenix, which is a super PAC with liberal donors.

Luis Osta Lugo, a local software engineer, contributed $2,500 to Vibrant Austin recently and $7,500 in July. Another software engineer, Aneesh Saripalli of Chicago, gave the Vibrant Austin PAC $7,500 in August.

In August, the group received $10,000 from the Austin Infill Coalition and $12,500 from Eric Goff. Former Council Member Jimmy Flannigan also contributed $1,500 to this group. And the campaign of state Rep. John Bucy campaign put in $1,000. Ganguly has previously worked for Bucy.

According to her most recent report, Ganguly raised $26,500 during the reporting period. She spent more than $90,000 and still had nearly $34,000 left. She has loaned her campaign $7,000.

Duchen, Ganguly’s opponent, reported raising nearly $23,000 and spending more than $77,000 during that month. He still had about $17,000 in the bank. He has loaned his campaign $20,000. He also has the endorsement of the Austin United PAC.

In District 6, Kelly reported spending more than $101,000 on her campaign in the previous month. She received $20,000 in contributions and had more than $37,000 in the bank. She did not report any loans. The Austin Firefighters Public Safety Fund is among the groups supporting Kelly’s campaign.

Laine, her only opponent, reported raising about $11,000 and spending about $37,000 during the reporting period. She had loaned her campaign $10,000 and still had nearly $25,000 in the bank, according to her report.

Mayor Kirk Watson and his consultants could no doubt run a class on fundraising. During the month between Sept. 27 and Oct. 26, he raised $102,000, bringing his yearly total to $927,000.

The independent political action committee supporting him, Austin Leadership PAC, reported raising more than $31,000 and spending nearly $155,000 for the month.

Although earlier reports from that PAC featured megadonors to Donald Trump, the latest report did not. The biggest individual donor on the most recent report was Clint Lee Scott, who gave $10,000. He is an Austin executive with Alliant Insurance Services Inc. Jahn Construction Company also donated $10,000.

Two of Watson’s opponents, Doug Greco and Carmen Llanes Pulido, also have PACs supporting their candidacy.

Austin United PAC is supporting Llanes Pulido, along with Monica Guzman in District 4, Kelly in District 6, Gary Bledsoe in District 7 and Duchen in District 10. The group raised $44,725 and spent $46,553.90 in support of their candidates. They had about $7,400 left in the bank. Kirk Mitchell, who has provided substantial support to the Save Our Springs Alliance over the years, contributed $10,000 and fellow environmentalist Robin Rather gave the PAC $15,000, according to the most recent report. Other well-known contributors include Bill Bunch and Mike Levy.

Llanes Pulido received $9,239 in contributions and spent more than $20,000. She has loaned her campaign $40,000.

Doug Greco reported raising $1,073 during the most recent reporting period. He said he had $13,000 at the reporting deadline.

The PAC supporting Greco, Austin Progress PAC, reported raising just $1,485 in the month before the deadline. The group spent $4,616.85 and still had more than $16,000 in the bank. Greco’s mother, Candace Greco, who lives in Sarasota, Florida, contributed $200. His father and brother previously contributed. A number of other PAC contributors live outside Austin and the city’s campaign finance regulations do not prohibit that. A federal judge dismissed Greco’s suit to overturn those rules.

Former Council Member Kathie Tovo, who is also running for mayor, does not have PAC support but has been able to loan her campaign more than $181,000 over the years. Her January report shows the campaign already owed her almost $162,000.

During the month most recently reported on, she brought in $10,253 in contributions and spent about $35,000, but the report shows she had only $102 in the bank.

Newcomer Jeffery Bowen reported raising $3,120 and spending more than $10,000 between Sept. 27 and Oct. 29. He loaned his campaign $2,000 and had about $4,400 in the bank.

A number of candidates are running for the District 7 seat being vacated by Council Member Leslie Pool. These include Gary Bledsoe, Edwin Bautista, Pierre Nguyen, Adam Powell, Todd Shaw and Mike Siegel.

Bledsoe reported having raised nearly $19,000 and spent nearly $60,000. He said he had about $8,000 remaining.

Siegel raised more than $14,000, and spent more than $34,000, according to his report. That left him with more than $23,000 in the bank. Austin DSA Public Power PAC, which is supporting Siegel, reporting raising only about $210 and spending nothing.

Powell reported raising $5,152 and spending more than $8,400. He reported less than $2,000 in the bank.

Nguyen raised about $230, spent about $1,115 and had about $180 left in the bank.

Shaw reported raising $1,815 and spending more than $15,000. According to his report, he had nothing left in his campaign coffers at the time of the report.

Bautista reported he had received no donations over the monthlong period and had just $88.42 in the bank.

For reporting on fundraising in districts 2 and 4, check the Austin Monitor on Friday.

Photo made available through a Creative Commons license.

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