LAST MINUTE SPECIAL INTEREST MONEY POURS INTO LA MESA COUNCIL RACE

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By Kristin Kjaero

November 5, 2012 (La Mesa) -- ECM reviewed the October 25 final financial reports before the election, and discovered that special interest money from out of town and out of state has poured into the La Mesa City Council race.

The California Real Estate Committee PAC located in Los Angeles filed an Independent Expenditure Report that showed they spent $30,000 on mailers for Laura Lothian, and had received a $7,716 contribution for a poll from the National Association of Realtors Fund located in Chicago.

Lothian, a realtor, turned in her own report showing total contributions to date of $6,112, of which she personally loaned her campaign $1,500, total expenses to date of $3,365, and an ending balance of $2,207. The report was filed seven days late, and her previous report was three days late.

Kristine Alessio reported $13,260 total contributions to date with no loans, $24,100 total expenditures to date, and an ending cash balance of $1,104. Alessio said her family planned to make contributions cover the remaining expenses.

Shannon O’Dunn filed a report showing $14,323 in total contributions to date, no loans, $13,903 total expenditures to date, and an ending cash balance of $420.

Ruth Sterling listed total cash contributions to date of $5,800, no loans, total expenditures to date of $5,775 and an ending cash balance of $25.

Patrick Dean's report showed total contributions to date of $4,139 with $790 in loans, $4,022 total expenditures, and an ending cash balance of $689.

Click here to see our One Stop Shop for La Mesa Voters, and read what the candidates have said in their own words at candidate Forums, in an easy to find format on topics organized alphabetically in categories, as well as links to their websites and articles from prior campaigns, for those who want to know more about the candidates themselves and their histories.


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