Petaluma Tomorrow Analysis of Campaign Contributions leading up to 2008

For the 2008 elections, Petaluma Tomorrow volunteers have been consolidating campaign contribution data from the Form 460s filed with the Petaluma City Clerk for all recent candidates to Petaluma City Council (or Mayor).  For most candidates, we used data from the 2004 or 2006 election cycle (2002 for David Glass).  In the case of Samantha Freitas, who was appointed to the Council in 2007, there is no complete campaign data, so we used the partial data filed October 8, 2008, from her current campaign.  Please note that the total for Freitas shown on the Form 460 summary page is incorrect. Our totals and percentages are based on correct totals of the detail on her Form 460.

The raw data, essentially the same as the candidates file on Form 460s, is here.

Our analysis can be seen in these tables and this graph.

Our intention was to analyze the contributions along two dimensions.  The first is local vs. out-of-town contributions. This is determined objectively by the contributor's address ("Petaluma" in the city field, which includes some unincorporated areas outside the city limits, is considered local)

The second dimension is whether the contributor is believed to be part of the development industry.  We focus on this industry because of our belief that it has inordinate influence on local government.  We interpret "development-related" rather broadly, to include not only builders, but local banks and real estate interests, and businesses such as home improvement stores whose business depends largely on new development.

Our intent is not to demonize developers, who fulfil an important economic function and who have as much right to participate in the political process as anyone else. But the development industry has a tremendous financial stake in the decisions of local elected officials, and historically has wielded outsized influence on those officials, which we consider unhealthy for our democracy, through campaign contributions.  Our analysis seeks to measure the extent of that influence on individual candidates, as a guide to voters.

There is necessarily an element of subjectivity in this classification of a contribution as "development-related."  If candidates feel we have classified one or more of their contributions incorrectly, we invite their input.  We will register their objection next to the specific contribution on our raw data page, and will reconsider (but won't necessarily change) the classification as we see fit.