Incumbent Ed Balico has raised “just shy of $14,500” this year…

Balico leads all fundraisers in Hercules council race
By Tom Lochner

Hercules City Council incumbent Ed Balico raised $3,500-plus in the first half of October, including $2,500 from a Los Angeles law firm, as he continued to outdraw and outspend three other candidates.

The $2,500 contribution came from Fulbright and Jaworski, a law firm with a wide range of specialties and offices in more than a dozen states and foreign cities. The Committee to Re-Elect Ed Balico also collected $810 cash and $200 of in-kind contributions from individuals and $250 from the Carpenters Regional Council, putting him just shy of $14,500 for the year, all of it since July 1. Balico’s contributors include unions, businesses and politicos.

The other incumbent, Joanne Ward, pulled in $2,131 in the first 18 days of October, including $500 and $150 from her council mates Kris Valstad and Joe Eddy McDonald, and $200 from Teamsters Local 315. It brought her total this year to $6,889, mostly from unions, politicos and private citizens.

Donald Kuehne pulled in $375, including $250 from United Food and Commercial Workers Local 5, bringing his total for the season to slightly more than $2,900. His previous contributors include himself ($540); Valstad ($500); Councilwoman Charleen Raines ($200); and the Plumbing Industry Consumer Protection Fund ($500).

John Delgado lent himself $1,868, adding to the lone $100 donation he received in September.

Three council seats are at stake Tuesday.

Balico spent more than $6,300 from Oct. 1 to Oct. 18, mostly on literature, postage and fundraising. That includes more than $1,000 in unitemized payments under $100. Balico has spent $13,643 this season, more than the three other candidates combined. His cash balance as of Oct. 18 was $3,134, including the $1,318 he started with.

Ward spent $2,588 on print ads and literature, bringing her total spending to $4,841 for the season.

Kuehne shelled out $1,376, including almost $1,000 on accrued bills for campaign signs and about $400 of new charges for postage and signs. He has spent a little more than $2,000 in total.Delgado spent $1,868 on campaign paraphernalia.