Later Press Democrat article on developer funds 10/29/2006

Petaluma candidates rake in $209,000

Developers account for half of funds raised in council, mayoral races

By TOBIAS YOUNG
AND JOSE L. SANCHEZ JR.
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

With the election still more than a week away, Petaluma's eight candidates for City Council and mayor have raised $209,000, surpassing the record of $201,000 raised by five candidates for the 2004 election.

Development interests account for almost half of the money - $99,401 - and 91 percent of that has gone to four people: mayoral candidate Mike Healy and council candidates Mike Harris, John Mills and David Rabbitt.

Harris, an incumbent seeking re-election, is far outpacing the field with a total of almost $71,000, according to finance reports.

He is followed by Healy with $38,000 and mayoral candidate Pam Torliatt with $33,000. Both are incumbent council members.

Rabbitt, an architect, reported $21,000; Mills, a builder, $19,000; former Planning Commission Chairwoman Teresa Barrett, $18,000; retired postal worker Spence Burton, $6,500; and Web site designer Tiffany Renee, $1,700.

Rabbitt said he returned several contributions from developers who would have pending business before the council if he were elected.

He declined to identify those companies.

He said he supports slow growth, so the support by developers creates a misconception.

"It's a bit frustrating," he said. "We always want to define people into one camp or another, and there's never some middle ground."

On an opposing side, the slow-growth group Petaluma Tomorrow has made $1,863 in independent expenditures for Barrett, Burton and Torliatt.

The group Petalumans for Responsible Planning, which is opposing a 93-home development project next to Helen Putnam Park, has spent $828 supporting Barrett, Burton and Torliatt and given $23 to Rabbitt.

Burton said the amounts being raised in the campaign are "absurd."

But he said he is feeling confident about his campaign holding up to candidates with deeper pockets.

"Do I feel overwhelmed? Actually, no," he said. "If you go around town I probably have at least as many signs out."

Contribution Breakdown

Candidate	Total contributions	Developer percentage
Mike Harris	$70,978	54 percent
Mike Healy	$38,152	67 percent
Pam Torliatt	$33,043	16 percent
David Rabbitt	$21,185	68 percent
John Mills	$19,404	63 percent
Teresa Barrett	$18,105	15 percent
Spence Burton	$6,515	7 percent
Tiffany Renee	$1,695	0 percent

Source: Campaign contribution forms filed with the city of Petaluma. Totals do not include loans from the candidates to their own campaigns.