Will Campaign Funding Hurt Hume's Reelection Bid?

Protesters nicknamed the SOI area as "Humeville."

During the last several months Elk Grove Council Member Pat Hume has faced numerous challenges both on and off the dais in his bid for a second term representing the city's 2nd Council District. 

On the dais Hume lost a battle in the on-going Sphere of Influence war when the city council decided to remove the 100-year flood plain from the city's application. Off the dais Hume's woes seem to be growing by the week; first there is the upcoming "stay-away" hearing in Sacramento Superior Court and more recently was the revelation that he is being investigated by the California Fair Political Practices Commission for alleged financial reporting irregularities.

Although Hume faces credible challenges from Elk Grove Planning Commissioner George Murphey and businessman Davies Ononiwu, there is one thing left that could help him blunt his quickly diminishing status with the electorate - cash.

Will contributors show? Do they have cash?

By October 6, 2010 all Elk Grove City Council candidates will have filed their campaign financial disclosure forms known as Form 460. Those filings will cover June 30 through September 30.

According to Hume's filing for the first half of this year, his campaign currently has $19,425 on hand with no contributions recorded. 

So what can we expect in Hume's next filing?

It's impossible to say how much Hume and his campaign manager have been able to raise (outside of personal loans to his campaign) but an examination of his 2006 460's reveals who will not be contributing.

The following contributors during the first half of 2006 are no longer with us and thus will not be contributing.

They include:

• Christo Bardis      $2,500
• Kobra Properties      500
• John Reynen          2,500
• Reynen & Bardis   5,000

The following contributors from the first half of 2006 could be classified as "doubtful" for 2010

• Elk Grove Milling   $150
• UFCW                 5,000
• Jan Detrick              200

The following contributors between July 1 and September 30, 2006 are gone:

• Christo Bardis      $2,625
• Reynen & Bardis   5,245
• John Reynen          2,645

The following contributors from that same time frame are questionable this time around:

• Elk Grove Milling    $250
• Gary Winuk             100*

*Winuk is with the California FPPC and it would be doubtful he would to make a contribution to a campaign that his agency is investigating.

For the October 1, through October 21, 2006 reporting period, the following will not be able to contribute as they are among the dearly departed:

• Dunmore Homes     $1,000

The following contributor during the same period is doubtful:

• Elk Grove Milling       $175

For the October 22 though December 31, 2006 reporting period, the following contributions are lost and gone forever:

• Reynen & Bardis      $2,500

Hume and his team could replace these lost contributions but it would take a Herculean effort. With his  mounting problems with the FPPC and less than stellar image in the community, Hume's best hope is to raise a scad of cash to reconfigure his image. 

Given the devastation of the real estate development community, who was his main benefactor in 2006, this could be a tall order for team Hume to fill. We'll know better come October 6.