With less than a month before the primary that will provide the Democratic Party with its nominee for East Hampton Town supervisor, both candidates are similarly funded.
East Hampton Village Mayor Jerry Larsen, who is waging the primary battle against sitting Town Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez, has just over $70,000 on hand, while the supervisor, through the East Hampton Town Democratic Committee, which is running her campaign, has a smidge less than $69,000.
Mr. Larsen has spent more, listing about $60,500 in expenses, while the Democratic Committee has spent just shy of $41,000.
The financial details were released on Friday in the 32-day pre-primary financial disclosure statements.
Donations showed a similar pattern to when they were last reported in January.
Mayor Larsen was once again heavily supported by those in the real-estate industry.
Andrew and Colleen Saunders, owners of Saunders Real Estate, along with their son Alexander, each donated $1,000 to his campaign. David Eagan, the attorney for the Wainscott Commercial Center, which if approved by the town, could add 50, one-acre, commercial industrial parcels, a few hundred feet from the shores of Georgica Pond, donated $500.
Similarly, Patrick and Barry Bistrian, owners of mining and construction supply companies, each donated $1,000.
Roy Dalene, who was chairman of the East Hampton Town Zoning Board of Appeals for a decade before resigning in December, kicked $1,000 towards Mr. Larsen’s campaign. Mr. Dalene is the president of Telemark Inc., a luxury home builder.
The town supervisor enjoyed large donations from Maureen Cahill ($10,000) and Steven Tuma ($5,000) who both sit on the board of the Montauk Playhouse.
If those dollar amounts appear high, it’s because people can contribute more to a town political committee than to an individual candidate. Way more. Under New York State Board of Elections rules, an individual can send $117,300 to a committee per year. Meanwhile, the limit for an individual to contribute to the primary campaign for an individual supervisor candidate was capped at $1,000.
In early May, Mr. Larsen said that he had returned $33,000 in donations that he received in excess of campaign limits, after the overages were discovered by the East Hampton Town Democratic Committee and highlighted in a letter to Mr. Larsen’s campaign from the Suffolk County Democratic Committee.
Other donations of note to the Democratic Committee’s campaign account came from two men that have sparred with Mr. Larsen over various village issues. Michael Bebon, who opposed the way Herrick Park was redeveloped, donated $1,545.14 to the committee. David Ganz, who often criticized the mayor and was eventually stripped of his parking pass to Main Beach, which led to a successful lawsuit against the village, chipped in a modest $250 to the town Democratic committee.
Another sparring partner of the mayor, Larry Cantwell, a longtime East Hampton Village administrator and former town supervisor, donated $500 to Ms. Burke-Gonzalez. Another ex-politician, Fred Thiele, sent $1,000 her way.
The town supervisor also found support among her current board members. Councilwoman Cate Rogers made two donations to the committee, one for $1,030 and another for $257.94. Councilman Ian Calder-Piedmonte, donated $500.
Brian Niggles, who spoke passionately at a town board meeting in December against a development proposal that sought to place 79 condominiums near his family’s farm on Three Mile Harbor Road, a proposal the supervisor ultimately voted against, added $1,000 to the Democratic Committee coffers.
Mr. Larsen’s campaign sent a press release Tuesday evening cheering his fund-raising momentum, saying he has raised $157,000 since launching in September.
“Over the past few months, we’ve received incredible grassroots support from all corners of our community, wrote Lydia Palmer, the campaign-s treasurer. “We’ve witnessed firsthand that voters are confident in Jerry’s ability to fix what’s broken at Town Hall and deliver the kind of competent, accountable government that East Hampton Town deserves.”
“What is most remarkable about this campaign is the strength and breadth of the community behind it,” she continued. “We have now received contributions from 158 individual donors. One in three contributions was under $500, and more than 20 supporters gave $100 or less. These small-dollar gifts, alongside larger contributions, reflect a campaign that’s powered by everyday residents, small business owners, and local leaders.”
She noted two large donations to the supervisor’s campaign came from individuals who have also contributed to the East Hampton Town Republican Committee.
Ms. Palmer then noted that of Ms. Burke-Gonzalez’s base as narrow, noting that of her 102 contributors, nine donors accounted for about $57,000 of donations, or 60 percent of her total.
“For a candidate running in a Democratic primary, leaning this heavily on a handful of large checks, some from outside the party and outside the town, is not what a grassroots campaign looks like,” she wrote.
“We’re incredibly grateful to the many individuals who contributed to our campaign,” Anna Skrenta, the chairwoman of the East Hampton Town Democratic Committee, said in a text. “The money we have raised is being used to support our entire team through a positive campaign with a focus on making sure that Democratic voters are fully informed and prepared for Election Day.”
The primary is June 23 and is open only to registered Democrats.
