Council hopeful closes in on fund-raising record

Coeur d’Alene City Council candidate Mike Kennedy nearly broke the city’s fund-raising record, raising $13,445 in the first two months of his campaign, according to reports filed Monday.

That’s just $1,057 less than the record $14,502 raised by former Mayor Steve Judy in his 1997 campaign.

“It says something about my ability to work productively for the city,” said Kennedy, a software salesman and political consultant who has helped with several statewide Democratic campaigns.

Combined, challengers Mary Souza and Dan Yake raised only $3,645, according to campaign finance reports that show how much city candidates raised and spent between Aug. 1 and Sept. 30.

The largest donation to Kennedy’s campaign was from Walt Minnick of Boise who gave $1,000. Kennedy was the field director for Minnick’s failed 1996 U.S. Senate campaign. Four other contributors also are from Ada County including Boise Mayor David Bieter.

Alan Blinken, whom Kennedy helped in his 2002 campaign for U.S. Senate, gave $500.

Fourteen of the contributors are from outside Idaho – people who Kennedy said are mostly family and friends.

City Attorney Mike Gridley donated $100 to Kennedy’s campaign, as did local businessmen Jim Elder and Charlie Nipp, who are also on the board of the city’s urban renewal agency. Local optometrist Justin StormoGipson donated $600.

So far Kennedy has spent $5,457 on signs, printing and graphic art for letters and brochures.

Yake has $2,471 in his war chest, including $100 each from state Reps. Jim Clark, R-Hayden, and Phil Hart, R-Athol. Silver Valley businessman Harry Magnuson gave $100 while Zito Enterprises of Coeur d’Alene contributed $400.

Yake has spent $1,749 on signs, pencils, stationery and printer cartridges.

Souza raised $1,174, the majority of which was an in-kind donation from Andi Weller of Tacoma. Three $100 contributions were received from Coeur d’Alene residents Doug and Deidra Chadderdon, Larry and Peg Stein, and Lee Shellman.

She has spent $936 on office supplies, business cards and signs.

Candiates had until 5 p.m. Monday to turn in their finance reports. Candidates in the other Coeur d’Alene city races mailed their reports, which hadn’t yet been received by the city clerk.