Article published Nov 1, 2007

Bronson leads in campaign gifts

By RICHARD ECKE

Tribune Staff Writer

City Commission candidate and attorney Bill Bronson leads the race for campaign donations with $4,681 collected in a hot race for three city government seats.

Mayor Dona Stebbins is second in fundraising with $3,333 raised.

From there, contributions to the other candidates drop off precipitously, according to reports filed through Tuesday at the Cascade County Elections Office.

Campaign coffers were much larger in the mayor's race two years ago, when Stebbins knocked off incumbent Randy Gray in a costly joust. In that tight battle, Gray raised $5,600, while Stebbins raised $9,620, a figure that included a $5,000 loan.

This year, none of the challengers for mayor raised more than $500. Mayoral candidates compete every two years; commissioners receive a four-year term. Two commissioner seats are open this year.

In the commissioner competition, incumbent Diane Jovick-Kuntz raised $740, while fellow candidate and former Great Falls Public Schools board member Elna Hensley received $644 in contributions.

Five candidates, including Bronson, Stebbins and Hensley, filed general election reports with the Cascade County Elections Office. Susan Kahn, another mayoral candidate and an advertising representative, reported receiving $216 in donations.

Debbie Mart, the elections office supervisor, said the deadline to file reports was Oct. 24.

The other four city candidates did not need to file campaign finance reports by the deadline, Mart said. Candidates Mary Jolley and Ed McKnight filed reports earlier saying they did not plan to raise $500 or more in the campaign. Candidates Stuart Lewin and Larry H. Steele filed reports saying they did not plan to raise any money for their races.

Jolley and Lewin are running for commissioner seats while McKnight and Steele are running for the mayor's position.

Mart said 5,200 voters had requested absentee ballots for the election as of mid-week, and about 2,500 ballots have been returned. Most of the absentee voters have opted to receive such ballots on a permanent basis, Mart said.

"It's just easier," she said.

The city general election is next Tuesday. Voting will take place between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. that day, all at one polling place, Montana ExpoPark's Exhibition Hall next to the Four Seasons Arena.

Voters can vote for up to two commissioner candidates and one mayoral hopeful.

From the latest campaign contribution reports filed, one contributor, Operating Engineers labor union business manager George Golie, gave donations to four of the five candidates who filed general election reports. Golie, a former Democratic legislator, is a board member of the city's utility arm, Electric City Power, and a staunch supporter of the proposed coal-fired Highwood Generating Station. His donations went to power plant supporters.

Great Falls Emergency Services president David Kuhn and his wife, both of Idaho Falls, donated to both incumbents. The city is considering a groundbreaking ordinance that would increase city supervision of local ambulances.

Gray donated to the campaigns of Bronson and Jovick-Kuntz. Current City Commissioner Bill Beecher donated to Stebbins, Bronson and Jovick-Kuntz. Labor union political action committees also provided several donations. The labor sector has strongly backed the power plant project.

Here is a rundown on contributions reported by five of the candidates for city seats:

Bronson: Received donations totaling $4,681 from Michael George, attorney, $130; International Union of Operating Engineers Local 400 Political Action Committee, $130; Randy Gray, part-time managing director for American Prairie Foundation, $100; Robert James, attorney, $130; Martha Dalson-Kentzel, congressional staffer for Rep. Denny Rehberg, $50; James Morin, Shell Energy, $50; Sherm Ewing, retired rancher, $100; Ronda Banik, co-owner of Banik Communications, $75; Ward Taleff, attorney, $75; Owen Robinson, owner of Lumber Yard Supply, $130; Gene Thayer, retired, $50; Doug Forbes, co-owner of Kranz Flowers & Gifts, $100; Jerry Weissman, retired, $100; John Korpela, retired, $50; Dale Schwanke, attorney, $50; Ronda Wiggers, public relations, $100; William Zucconi, retired, $50; Fred C. Woodson, retired, $100; Greg Luinstra, attorney, $50; Jerry Schuster, attorney, $100; George Golie, business manager of Operating Engineers Union Local No. 400, $50; William B. Roberts, retired, $50; James Zarling, owner, American Dream Builders, $100; Tracy Harding, housewife, $130; Kurt Kessner, owner of Kurt Kessner Construction, $130; Toby Malsam, owner of Culligan/Central Solutions, $130; Denise Rothwell, attorney, $75; J. Michael Young, attorney, $50; John Hayes, insurance sales, $100; Jodi Paulson, housewife, $100; Bill Beecher, financial planner and city commissioner, $100; Nicholas Geranios, vice president of Geranios Enterprises, $100.

Stebbins: Received donations totaling $3,333 from Owen Robinson, owner of Lumber Yard Supply, $130; George Golie, business manager of the Operating Engineers union local, $107; Barbara Purdy, teacher at Great Falls schools, $50; Gloria LaMott, accountant, $50; Terry Carpenter, retired, $50; Gayle Robinson, hostess at Bert & Ernie's, $130; Brian Boland, union representative for Laborers Union Local No. 1606, $130; Tim Murphy, self-employed businessman, $130; Deb Murphy, self-employed, $130; Clary Cory, retired, $50; Robert James, attorney, $130; Cindy James, housewife, $130; William Beecher, financial adviser, $100; Darlene Wilkins, retired, $100; Sue Skees, retired, $100; Bradley Watson, City Bar owner, $100; Barbara Watson, City Bar owner, $100; David Kuhn, Idaho Falls, president of Great Falls Emergency Services, $130; Monica Kuhn, Idaho Falls, housewife, $130.

Jovick-Kuntz: Received donations totaling $740 from George Golie, business manager for Operating Engineers union local, $50; Bill Beecher, retired, $100; Randy Gray, attorney, $100; David Kuhn, Idaho Falls, president of Great Falls Emergency Services, $130; Monica Kuhn, Idaho Falls, housewife, $130; David Warner, managing director of the American Prairie Foundation, $130; Barb Watson, bookkeeper at City Bar, $100.

Hensley: Received donations totaling $644 from Kim DeLong, massage therapist, $130; Robert DeLong, retired, $130; Don Henderson, owner of the Penthouse Salon, $75; Pacific Northwest Council of Carpenters Political Action Committee, Great Falls, $130; George Golie, business manager of Operating Engineers local, $50; International Union of Operating Engineers local PAC, $130.

Kahn: Received donations totaling $216 from retiree Gertrude T. Kahn of Toledo, Ohio, for $190. Kahn was not required to report but chose to do so.