CITYWIDE — City Council candidates have raised a lot of money for their campaigns this year but supporters of Measure D lead the way by a long shot.
The measure, which would bar council from making any significant changes to the airport without a vote from the people is supported by a group that has raised $545,000, according to campaign disclosure statements filed with City Hall.
Measure D money dwarfs the cash raised by all the candidates combined.
A majority of that money comes from two aviation advocacy groups: Airport Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), which has contributed $239,000, and the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), with has spend $125,000. Additionally, actor Harrison Ford, an avid pilot, has thrown $25,000 into the pot.
Meanwhile, Committee for Local Control of Santa Monica Airport Land (CLCSMAL), which is opposing Measure D and supporting Measure LC, has raised just over $75,000.
Measure LC would retain much of council's control over the airport land but would require residents to vote on a land-use plan for the airport before anything can be developed on the property.
Measure LC is supported most vocally by residents who hate the airport.
According to LC supporters, 70 percent of their cash comes from the 90291 ZIP code and all but about 2 percent comes from the Santa Monica-area.
Measure D, they say, gets 73 percent of its fundraising from out of state. About 18 percent of the contributions to the Measure D campaign are from the Santa Monica-area, according to CLCSMAL. A majority of this cash comes from local aviation interests, CLCSMAL representatives said. AOPA, which has made the point that many of their members live in the L.A.-area, is based in Maryland.
The Measure D supporters have already spent close to $600,000 on their campaign, accruing about $70,000 in unpaid bills.
Much of the cash was spent on paid signature gathers, who helped the organization get the required number of signatures from registered Santa Monica voters in order to get the measure placed on the ballot in the first place.
City Council approved Measure LC, meant to compete with Measure D, and therefore it did not need to have signatures gathered on its behalf.
Measure H and HH
A committee organized to support Measure H and Measure HH has raised about $30,000 as of Oct. 1.
The measures, if both approved, would raise the tax on the sale of million dollar properties and set that cash aside for affordable housing developments.
Several council members and council candidates have contributed to the measures' support. About $9,000 has been spent by the organization.
dave@www.smdp.com
