- Klipsch leads incumbent Gluba in donor income and cash on hand.
- Donor level percentages similar
- Klipsch spending over $42,000 already with sole vendor Victory Enterprises
Sketch of Davenport mayoral job:
Davenport has a mayor-council form of government which is not considered a “strong mayor” form of government. The city is a home-rule city as provided for in the Constitution of the State of Iowa. The city council is composed of eight ward alderman and two at-large alderman. The mayor appoints a city administrator subject to approval of 2/3 of the city council. The city administrator role has subsumed many administrative powers formally delegated to the mayor. The theory behind the adoption of a city manager is to insulate city employees and operations, which fall under the manager’s purview, from political interference. The city council manages policy and approves the city budget.
The mayor appoints members to some advisory commissions. Meetings of the full council are normally chaired by the mayor who may vote in the case of a tie. The mayor may veto matters passed by the council. Those matters are subject to an override by super majority of seven votes on the council. The mayor also has community influence attendant to the role of spokesman and facilitator and promoter. The salary for mayor is currently $45,000 a year and is considered part-time. Alderman salaries are $15,000.
This article is the result of quickly scanning financial reports of the mayoral candidates who achieved ballot placement after the contested Davenport municipal primary. Those reports are filed with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board (IECDB). The consolidated figures set forth here should be considered estimates as they were obtained “at a glance” and may be subject to revision (most likely additions). Any changes to donor listings would alter the calculated percentages.
More than one donation from the same individual comprising more than the thresholds we arbitrarily picked may have been missed. Totals listed on the report from more than one person (perhaps spouses) are reported as such. Possible spouses listed separately are not reported as combined. Information is from reports extending up to October 24th. Money received in the ten days prior to the election and after are not reported until January 19th 2016. Contributions the last few days prior to the election and extending after can tell a story.
We separated out $1000 and above donors and also those at the $500 to $999 level. We also set forth a few names of donors of note at lesser amounts. Those are not figured into the calculated percentages. Names may be recognizable to many readers. There are no doubt other names of interest in the many smaller contributors but a detailed analysis was beyond the scope of this article. Readers can scan the official reports at their leisure and all of the disclosed contributors here. Corrections are appreciated.
Klipsch for Mayor — October 1, 2015 and October 29, 2015 campaigns finance reports (consolidated).
As a non-preexisting campaign committee, Klipsch for Mayor started out with zero dollars for this election cycle. Out of $70,159 Klipsch raised on the two reports required prior to the general election — Seventeen donors (no PACs) gave $1000 or above for a total of $25,000 or 35.6% of the Klipsch campaign contributions. Twenty-one donors gave from $500 to $999 for a total $10,600 or 15.1% of the Klipsch contributions in the two reports. Combining the two Klipsch groups, thirty-eight donors gave $500 and above for a total of $35,600 or 50.7% of the dollars raised on the two reports.
Donors giving larger amounts to Klipsch (Davenport residents unless indicated)
$1000 and above:
Ralph Gibson, Pleasant Valley $5000; Frank Clark $1000 + $2000 in kind; Kent Pilcher $2500; Beth/Scott Tinsman $1000 + $480; Ed Carroll $930 + $200; Richard John Jr, Moline, $1000; Dana Waterman $1000; Steve Morency, LeClaire $1000; David Johnston, Blue Grass $1000; Tim Koehler, Walcott $1000; Richard Bittner $1000; Kimberly Findlay-Brackey $1000; Gary White $1000; Theresa Perkins $1000; Daniel Palmer $1000; Douglas Palmer $1000; Candidate Klipsch $1000.
$500 – $999
Mark Kilmer $500 + $250; Kathy Kilmer $500; James Koehler $500 + $235; Chuck VonMaur $500; James VonMaur Sr $400; Sue/Dick VonMaur $200; Cal Werner $500; John Golivaux $500; Dave Steil $500; Jim Kadavy $500; Charles Cassel $500; Gregory Hass, Rock island $500; Daniel Portes/ Judy Shawver $500; Catherine Cartee $500; Maria Waterman $500; Douglas Cropper $500; Perry Hintz $500; Jeff Collins Rock Island $500; Paul VanDuyne $500; Ken Koupal $250 + $250; Mike Duffy $250 + $250 (21) = $10600 $70159 raised
Of note:
Dan Dolan $400; Bob Waterman $200; Tom Bush $250 + $100; Robert Waterman Jr. $250; Steve Landauer $250; Mike Poster (St Ambrose spokesman?)$250; Linda Miller $100; Kelly Grubbs $200 + $100; Brian Dumas $100; Roby Smith $50; Todd Raufeisen $50.
Friends of Bill Gluba for Mayor — October 1, 2015 and October 29, 2015 campaigns finance reports (consolidated)
As a preexisting campaign committee, Friends of Bill Gluba for Mayor started out with $934 on hand for this election cycle. Out of $41,354 Gluba raised on the two reports required prior to the general election, ten donors (or PACs) gave $1000 or above for a total of $16,500 or 39.9 % of the Gluba campaign contributions. Ten donors (or PACs) gave $500 to $999 for a total $5,299 or 12.8 % of the Gluba contributions in the two reports. Combined, twenty donors (or PACs) gave $500 and above for a total of $21,799 or 52.7 % of the dollars raised on the two reports.
Donors giving larger amounts to Gluba* (Davenport residents unless indicated) :
$1000 and above
Rodney Blackwell 4/24/15 $2500; Michael Whalen, Bettendorf, 5/26/15 $2500; Dale E Wilson 7/30/15 Hazel Crest IL $2000 + $1000 on 10/13/15; Richard J Ryan 9/15/15 $2000; Robert Ontiveros 9/22/15 Longboat Key FL, $2500; Iowa Realtors PAC, Clive IA, 10/18/15 $1000; Maggies Home LLC 10/18/15 $1000; Marilyn Quyas 10/21/15 $1000; Tony Singh, LeClaire, 10/23/15 $1000. Total $16,500 from ten contributors.
$500 to $999
Karl Rhomberg $300 + $250; Art Small, Iowa City, $500; Thomas J. Higgens, Oakland CA, $500; Thomas W. Honsa, Sherrard IL, $500; William Bedford, Tempe AZ, $237 + $237; Ray Tiedje, Scottsdale AZ $475; Dev Bastola, Bettendorf $500; Richard Davidson $800; Donald Pruter, Princeton IA, $500; Electrical Workers local 145 Moline IL $500. Out-of-town donors near $500 were included on the presumption they were electronic transfers and fees pertained. Total $5,299 from ten contributors.
Of note:
James Hancock $400; Jeff West $380; Jeff’s Car Corner LLC $250; Robert Waterman $250; Roxanna Moritz $250 + $25.
Expenses of the two campaigns and cash on hand.
Gluba campaign spent $29,555 in the two periods leaving him with $12,732 in the final days of the campaign (fund-raising continues of course). Of the expenditures $3000 or more was for campaign Headquarter expenses listed at the KSTT Building on River Drive. He also has a campaign consultant listed on the report as Sam Sigmon of Wilmington NC for $2500 and another individual Alexander Molina at $1000. There are also listed payments to Chad Trivette, for about $3400.
Klipsch campaign spent $47,633 in the two periods leaving the campaign with $22,525 in the final days of the campaign. Of the expenditures an astonishing $42,274 was spent with one entity – Victory Enterprises run by Steve Grubbs. In such circumstances the words “neophyte” and “tool” come to mind. Two individuals connected with the ownership of the company are smallish donors to the Klipsch campaign.
- Dates of donations are provided for Gluba at the higher levels because he is an incumbent. Others might want to see if any votes took place or what issues were before the council.
