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Candidates in final push for cash
(News Herald, The (Panama City, FL) (KRT) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Jul. 26--It takes money to spin the wheels of democracy.
With the Aug. 26 primary a month away, candidates have filed another financial report with the Bay County supervisor of elections and offered a window into their campaign purses.
Candidates are required by law to reveal to the public both their contributions and expenditures.
For example, sitting school Superintendent James McCalister spent $921.48 on T-shirts and hats in July. Local attorneys appear to be active contributors to judicial candidates. And property appraiser candidate Dan Sowell has amassed $72,000 for his war chest.
In the crowded field for the Bay County Commission District 1 race, candidates Marilyn Shanholtzer and Sharon Sheffield are funding their campaigns in large part through smaller donations in the $50 neighborhood. Bill Fisher, who worked in the manufactured housing business, has received much of his money from donors in that same industry.
The two top-financed candidates in the District 1 race are incumbent Mike Nelson and Dan Estes. Both have some local heaveyweights in their financial corners. The pivotal player in this scenario is Panama City Beach businessman Charles Hilton.
"I'm 77 years old next month. I've been active for as long as I can remember," Hilton said of his political dabblings, "to try to preserve the country and the system that we all enjoy, the freedom."
In the past, Hilton contributed to Nelson, but this year, he switched candidates. In fact, the businessman has at one time supported all three sitting county commissioners. This year, he's invested in their opponents.
"I try to pick the best candidate, the one I think is for smaller government," Hilton said. "I supported those people over there, but they didn't adhere to what they said they would."
In spring 2007, the Bay County Commission disbanded the Tourist Delevopment Council in a contentious showdown. A number of the ousted TDC board members were familier with Hilton's backing.
"I think that was part of it," said Nelson, relating the TDC incident with the loss of Hilton's financial support. "I'd do it again."
Nelson's loss is apparently Estes' gain. Hilton, his various business ventures and employees have contributed thousands of dollars to his campaign.
"It tells me they either consider me a qualified candidate or they don't like the other person," Estes said. Hilton's stamp can be found on many of the financial reports filed by local candidates. He said he doesn't expect anything for his money. "What could anybody give me that I don't have or can't get?" Hilton said, explaining that he only hopes he chooses candidates whose views are in line with his own. "You hope for the best, expect the worse and get what happens."
County Commission District 1
Dan Estes, Republican Contributions to date:
$34,148.69
Contributions this report:
$30,748 Expenditures to date: $32,084.27
Expenditures this report:
$30,392.49
$100-499: North Florida Obstetric; Lisa Parris, insurance adjuster; ChiroNetwork; Earnest Jordan, State Attorney's Office, chief investigator; David Langston, self-employed; Linda Mike, paraprofessional; Bay Grill LLC; Jeremy Powell, project manager; Daystar Cleaning Inc.; Charles Walsh, retired; Favor Florida LLC.; John Reichard, retired; Billie Donn, management; Dowgul & Wilson, PA, attorney; Guy Estes, periodontics; Richard Dodd, president, contruction co.; Kimberly Dodd, teacher; Eternal Light, sales; Tomi Warnick, project coordinator; Michael Warnick, engineer; Matthew Shack, retired; Jeremy Powell, project manager; Theodore Cottongim, F-15 and F-22 course manager; William Garrett, attorney; Paul Sims Construction Inc.; Mart Storage, storage business; T. M. Rogers, storage business; Jean Quave, realtor/broker; David Meadows, retired; Downtown Improvement Board; Virgil Duffell, retired; Bay County Taxpayers; Pest Control Depot Inc. of Panama City; Beemar Enterprise, LLC, accounting firm.
$500: Cody Khan, hotel manager; William C. Cramer Jr., business owner, car dealership; Barbara Burg, housewife; Charles Hilton, business owner; Carol Atkinson, vice president GAC Contractors; Frank Atkinson, owner, Bear Creek Sporting Clays; Allan Bense, businessman, Holiday Golf; David White, construction; Derwin White, vice president GAC Contractors; Phillip Spangler, retired; Scarlett Harrington, pastor; Richard Whitsett, accountant; Julie Hilton, attorney; Multi-Service Construction, LLC; John Gioeillo PA, Attorney at Law; Cramer Investments Inc.; Cramer Properties Inc.; Hilton Self Insurance Fund Inc.; La Valencia Beach Resort Developers; Bay West Developers, LLC; Hilton Timber Company; Bear Creek Sporting Clays, Inc., skeet club; Hilton Inc.; GAC Contractors; SCR Surveying & Mapping; Emerald Coast Striping; LLC, Three C's Development LLC; Jason Bense, construction; Angie Blakemore, comptroller GAC; Doug Blakemore, owner Texture Coating; Teresa Harrington, comptroller, Warren Excavation; Country Cottage Antiques; Susan Warren, owner, Warren Excavation; David Glaze, contractor, Warren Excavation; Glenn T. Warren & Company; Warren Dozier & Equipment; Richard Cox, Jr., owner Cox Pools; Darrell Fleming, storage business owner; Elaine Rowe, executive administrator; Michael Seamon, Cox pools, supervisor; Glenn Warren Jr., owner, Warren Excavation; Charles Carmical, director of renovation, Warren Excavation; Peter Bardach, retired; Emerald Plaza, LLC; John Hutt, insurance broker; Randall Hanna, business food industry; Danei Estes, server; Educating Everyone LLC., Web site designer.
Mike Nelson, Republican
Contributions to date: $84,775
Contributions this report: $19,475
Expenditures to date: $70,014.58
Expenditures this report:
$66,525.06
$100-499: Suzanne Sheffield, retired;Curtis Porter, developer; Thomas Sale Jr., lawyer; John Hindsman, banker; Tim Smith, doctor; Henry Hooks, stock broker; Claire Mallory, housewife; Steven Cox, life insurance; Billy George, retired; Sandra Gallati, housewife; Angela Lewis, accountant; Beth McKeithen, housewife; Affliated Insurance Services; John Wambo, doctor; Norn Gulkis, trade show organizer; William Stevenson, stockbroker; Walter Fuller, architect; Leon Walters, retired; David Artman, sector manager of Applied Research; John Messer, investment advisor; Waylon Thompson, lawyer; Ray Reissener, engineer; Barron and Redding, law firm; Patricia Futrell, housewife; Benjamin Lee, resort manager; Gilmore Resorts; Bozarth Associates, architecture firm; Paul Baggett, retired; Leah Dunn, housewife; Mike Hill, executive director of health councils; John Startling, retired.
$500: Coastal Palm Village, development company; Walthour Foods; Charla Gainer, housewife; Jim Smallwood, investor; Lawson Investment; Callaway Point, development company; FMW Construction Services Inc.; Frank Syfrett, doctor Julian Bennett, lawyer; Mrs. Jim Everitt, housewife; Anita Lewis, retired; Wayne Lewis Rental Account, rental agency; Gulf Construction Group; Southern Coastal, property management; Associated Financial Title Agency; RAFS of Pensacola, restaurant management; RAFS of FWB Inc., restaurant management; First Links Inc., golf course management; PBSJ Corporation Political Action Committee, engineering frim; Forest & Lakes Plantation, timber company; Russ Smith, resort manager; Neal Bennett, resort owner; Asphalt Testures, asphalt company; Colley Byron, Jr., Beach TV; George Roberts, contractor; PCB Leasing, Glass Center.
M a r i l y n S h a n h o l t z e r, Republican
Contributions to date: $2,805.21
Contributions this report:
$1,940
Expenditures to date: $2,299.41
Expenditures this report:
$1,738.63
$100-499: Rosalie Shaffer, retired; Marilyn Shanholtzer, retired; Shirley Feltman, retired; Rita Acoba, retired; Irene Kole, retired; Rosalie Shaffer, retired. $500: Walter Heitman, retired.
Sharon Sheffield, Democrat Contributions to date: $6,548.21 Contributions this report:
$3,755 Expenditures to date: $4,481.62 Expenditures this report:
$3,988.36
$100-499: Yvette Griffin, retired educator; Bettye Rouse, retired educator; Farrell Realty & Insurance Agency; Vince Green Agency, Inc.; Stephanie Blount, educator; Patricia Byrd, retired; Ivie Burch, retired educator; Valerie Mincey, executive director BASIC; Joyce Ondrovich, retired. $500: Leo Griffin, minister; Peter Bardach, educator; Bay County Democratic Women's Club.
William Fisher Jr., No party affiliation Contributions to date: $2,594.72 Contributions this report:
$2,594.72 Expenditures to date: $2,530.27 Expenditures this report:
$2,530.27
$100-499: Ricky Moulder, business owner; Moulder & Sons MH Inc., mobile home sales; Sil's Home Center, Inc.; CC's Housing, Inc., home sales center; Joe's Mobile HM Transport, business owner.
To see more of The News Herald or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.newsherald.com.
Copyright (c) 2008, The News Herald, Panama City, Fla.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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