Campaign disclosures &contribution statements for Rancho Mirage City Council candidates

Campaign disclosures and contribution statements for Rancho Mirage City Council candidates revealed

March 1st was the filing deadline for Rancho Mirage Council candidates to turn in their campaign disclosure and contribution statements.

Six candidates are vying for three seats, including the three incumbents Dana Hobart, Iris Smotrich, and Charles Townsend.

There are also some newcomers to the race, Kate Spates, Robert Mueller and Michael Harrington.

We’ve obtained the filings. The statements show that Hobart has raised the most money so far, nearing $31,000 in donations with Spates not too far behind raising over $29,000. Hobart received the majority of his funds from two separate $10,000 donations from Jim Houston and Harold Matzner, both known for their charity efforts in the valley. Neither Houston or Matzner live in the City of Rancho Mirage.

Spates has been under fire by Dana Hobart, who has said she is running on a platform backed by her boyfriend and former Goldenvoice Executive Skip Paige. Paige publicly said he would run a candidate this election that would support the controversial CV Link.

Andrea Carter, a campaign spokesperson for Kate Spates, released a statement on the matter:

“The treasurer made an honest mistake and didn’t realize James Paige and Skip Paige were the same person. She (Kate Spates) is filing an amended 460 to correct the error”

In Form 460, Skip Paige is listed as giving a donation of $50 this period with his overall donations totaling $119. James Paige is listed as having donated $2,500 to her campaign. James Paige is Skip Paige’s legal name.

She also received two other contributions in that amount from Rancho Mirage resident Vernon Kozlen and another supporter of the CV Link, Renova Energy.

The other two council members, Townsend and Smotrich, do not list any contributions but have made loans to fund their own campaigns.

Robert Mueller is also mostly self-funding his campaign but listed nearly $2,700 in donations.

City Clerk Kristie Ramos said she has not received any campaign statement from candidate Michael Harrington as of March 6, but added “he is not required to file a Form 460 if he does not have an open committee, he is required to file a short form campaign statement, which the city has not yet received,” says Ramos.

Harrington released a statement on the matter:

I’ll file tomorrow. I am a grassroots campaign drawing on ties to the neighborhood. Not big donors or special interests from out of town. Under $2000, so I file a different statement because of this and ill file it tomorrow. I’ll send you a copy. I have strong endorsements from Riverside Sheriffs Association and Cal Fire 2881. This should mean more to people who live here than the sizable donations from out of town given to other candidates.

Harrington’s did not file paperwork, but he did file the one page that he is required to file.

The election is slated for April 10th.