Incumbents raise the most campaign cash in Agoura Hills council race
By John Loesing
Acorn Staff Writer

In the race for the all important campaign dollar, the incumbents in next month’s Agoura Hills City Council election are beating the challengers to the punch, according to financial disclosure statements released by the city clerk’s office.

The three incumbents in the Nov. 6 election raised a total of $8,693 through the Sept. 27 campaign finance-reporting period. The five challengers gathered loans and donations totaling just $4,556.

Eight candidates are running for three seats on the city council. The terms are four years.

One candidate opted not to receive or spend any money during the reporting period.

"I don’t take campaign donations from businesses or PACs (political action committees)," said Ken Horton, a challenger. Horton, who ran an unsuccessful write-in campaign in the 1999 city council election, is hoping word of mouth will do the trick.

"We’ve had candidates who’ve raised $10,000 or more," said Louise Rishoff, a member of the Agoura Hills City Council for 14 years. "The amount of money really has not borne any relationship to the success of the candidate … In a small city, the people know the candidates."

Mayor Ed Corridori, who won city council elections in 1993 and 1997, led all candidates in the recent reporting with $3,728 in monetary contributions.

Corridori had 60 individual contributors including three who contributed $250 each: Robert Tam, a Boeing Company engineer, Maury Friedman, the CEO of Need2Buy, and Robert Philpott, a certified public accountant.

Corridori has a $2,930 balance on hand.

The Agoura Hills campaign ordinance limits donations to $250. Candidates must disclosure the name, address and occupation for any supporter who gives a contribution greater than $5. The law also says campaign signage cannot be placed on public streets and sidewalks.

There are no spending limits on the campaign, if a candidate wants to reach into his own pocket.

Incumbent Jeff Reinhardt received $2,905 in donations and personal loans of $450. Reinhardt, who was elected to the city council in 1997, listed 55 contributors including businessman Jay Lewitt and resident Alan MacGregor, who gave $250 each, and teacher Andrew Pavley, husband of state Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, who gave $200.

Reinhardt has spent $600 on his campaign and has $2,739 left. Rishoff is Reinhardt’s campaign treasurer.

Incumbent Denis Weber, who’s seeking his third term in office, listed donations of $1,350 and a personal loan of $200. Three of Weber’s seven contributors work for Warner Financial, an Agoura Hills developer. Frank Trejo, Don Dusablon and Troy Freeman each contributed $250.

Businessman Dan Crisafulli leads the way among the challengers with $1,905 in contributions, most of which is a $1,500 personal loan. Crisafulli’s private contributors are Violet Marcus, a retired Agoura Hills resident who gave $250, and Hayden Finley, a Pepperdine professor and former law enforcement officer who gave $155.

Challenger Bob Wachs reported $1,510 in donations including a $200 gift from Agoura Hills homemaker Cindy Larson.

George Thomas, the youngest candidate in the field at age 24, said his $290 in contributions came from family, friends and his girlfriend’s parents.

Mel H. Adams listed five donors who contributed $750. Agoura Equipment Rental, his employer, gave $250 as did Whizin’s Shopping Center owner Vance Moran.

There are two more campaign finance reporting periods: Today and Oct. 25. The candidates also must file a post-election report.