Politics & Government

Bobby Patton Leading in Fundraising for City Council Race

Reports also show incumbent Jim King has received money from Mayor Jim Janney and Councilwoman Lorie Bragg.

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Six City Council candidates or committees representing them have spent more than $10,000 through mid-October to reach Imperial Beach voters, according to the latest financial reports.

Leading all candidates in the fundraising race is Bobby Patton, an Imperial Beach lifeguard, teacher and founder of the Imperial Beach Junior Lifeguard Program. Patton is competing with five other candidates for the two seats on the City Council.

The Patton for City Council 2012 campaign has received $3,120, with 14 contributions above $100. Patton has given his campaign $2,600 of his own money.

Among donors are current and former city leadership, environmentalists like longtime resident and surfer Jim Knox and Pacific Realty owner Gary Trieschman.

About half of donors to Patton's campaign also gave to Spriggs' campaign two years ago, including Deborah Carey from the Southwest Wetland Interpretive Association (SWIA), former City Councilwoman Patricia McCoy and Robert Miller, founder of the Seacoasters, a group of Seacoast Drive residents and business owners.

Former two-term mayor and leader of the Citizens Against Prop S committee Diane Rose also campaigned door-to-door for Patton.

Leah Goodwin gave to Patton's campaign and was treasurer of Spriggs' campaign. Former City Councilwoman Mayda Winter, who gave money to Spriggs' campaign and works at SWIA, was paid about $950 by Patton's campaign for a list of registered voters and a mailer. Winter's husband, a real estate agent, donated $100 to Patton's campaign.

Councilman Spriggs gave $150 to Patton's campaign and has helped go door-to-door.

Patton has earned his support, Spriggs said, because he's a good and sensible person, he is against Proposition S and because he was the only candidate that sought his help to get elected.

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The two likely have overlapping support, he said, because they have similar stances when it comes to "balanced growth and development in the community and public safety."

"These are things a large segment of our community stand for," Spriggs said. "It's not just the personality. It's what they stand for in terms of wanting to see the community continue to improve in a balanced way."

Find out what's happening in Imperial Beachwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Spriggs received more votes than any other City Council candidate in 2010.

Councilman Jim King's reelection campaign has received $25 from Councilwoman Lorie Bragg and $100 from Mayor Jim Janney. As of Oct. 20, Jim King for City Council 2012 has raised $254 from three donors and $3,000 from Councilman King.

The Brian P. Bilbray for City Council 2012 committee has raised $800 from two donors, including Mike P. Orlando, a real estate developer with the Orlando Company who lives in Cardiff by the Sea.

The Deputy Sheriffs' Association of San Diego County has endorsed incumbents Bilbray and King, and into the race via mailers and signs.

As of last week, Erika Lowery, Valerie Acevez and write-in candidate Ron Moody have raised less than $1,000.

By far the committee with the most money in Imperial Beach elections in 2012 is the Yes on S campaign. Since Oct. 20, Yes on S has spent near $80,000 to convince voters to allow medical marijuana dispensaries in Imperial Beach.

The campaign has not formally endorsed Erika Lowery, but some of the groups 40 to 50 volunteers have "attempted to clarify to the voters that she and a Yes on S vote should go together," said Marcus Boyd, who helped put the Safe Access Ordinance of Imperial Beach on the ballot.

When Yes on S volunteers go door-to-door, some ask voters to put both a Yes on S and Lowery for City Council signs in their yard, he said.


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