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Livermore City Council District 3 opponents Steven Dunbar and Jeff Kaskey collected the most campaign contributions out of all council candidates in recent weeks, according to financial statements released last week.
During the same period, nearly all candidates racing for the districts spent thousands of dollars to garner voter support.
Among the expenditures, a recent Kaskey campaign mailer put Dunbar on the defensive. In that message to voters, Kaskey claimed that Dunbar doesn’t protect the city’s urban growth boundary — a claim Dunbar argues is inaccurate.
The financial filings are the second and final pre-election reports for campaign contributions and expenditures, covering the period from Sept 22. to Oct. 19.
In the three-candidate race for District 3, Dunbar and Kaskey have each amassed about $27,000 in contributions this year, following higher gains for Dunbar this period. Meanwhile, Kaskey’s recent expenditures elevate his yearly spending about $3,000 above Dunbar.
Dunbar collected $7,140 during the reporting period, for a year’s total of $26,977. All of his contributors this period were from Livermore, except the Los Angeles-based California Real Estate Political Action Committee — which also stood out as his largest donor this period at $5,500; all other contributions were $500 or less.
Among his other supporters were Livermore deputy city attorney Katherine Mirassou, Realtor Charan Wollard, president of Serviceware Justin Carvacho and vice president of Benevolent Tech Tracy Kronzak.
During the most recent reporting period, Dunbar spent $6,994.39 for a year’s total of $15,518.49. His highest expenditure this period was $3,515.18 for mailers. He also spent $2,471.44 on print ads.
Competitor Kaskey collected $3,150 this period for a total of $26,595 this year. All his contributions this period came from Livermore residents. And all were $250 or less, except one donation of $2,000 from Stephen Stradling. He also received $50 from Livermore Area Recreation and Park District Director David Furst.
Kaskey spent $11,821.24 on his campaign this period for a grand total of $18,960.26 this year. His greatest expenditures were $5,256.30 for campaign literature and mailings, $1,500 for consulting and $1,208.76 for print ads in the Independent.
Among Kaskey’s expenditures this year were mailers that Dunbar says make false claims.
It says Dunbar “recommended a study of breaking the Urban Growth Boundary” while on the Planning Commission. Meanwhile, it claims Kaskey “defended the urban growth boundary at (the) Planning Commission”.
“This is untrue and misrepresents the facts,” Dunbar said in a statement on Oct. 26.
At a committee meeting in December 2023, Kaskey said breaking the boundary should require compelling needs only reachable by breaking that boundary, according to the minutes.
At that meeting the commission didn’t have the authority to vote or prevent the ongoing environmental review, Dunbar said in his statement. But in accordance with rules of the environmental impact report, Dunbar had said “no project alternative will be analyzed” — which Dunbar contends was not an endorsement of breaking the boundary.
Finally, when the Planning Commission was able to vote, Dunbar said there lacked clear and compelling evidence to justify a study, according to his statement.
He supported removing the East of Greenville area from the General Plan, Dunbar said in his statement. Kaskey did not comment at the meeting.
“City Staff referred to this action as ‘deferring for future study’ – this wording is being twisted to imply that I did not defend the UGB. The reality is that my actions removed the area from the General Plan process and protected the UGB,” Dunbar said in his statement.
In Kaskey’s view, “wanting to keep the plan active, (the Planning Commission) passed a recommendation to have the Greenville area considered later”.
“I stand by my mailer,” Kaskey told Livermore Vine.
Afterward, Kaskey took on Dunbar’s claim of being the “only candidate who knows firsthand how community, council and city staff work together” — as written on his website.
Given his experience, Kaskey said Dunbar’s statement is false. “I took that lack of honesty as part of his political discourse, but it is annoying now to be called out on something that is documented in City paperwork,” Kaskey told the Vine.
Outside the disagreements between Kaskey and Dunbar is their joint opponent David Farley, who runs on the lowest-funded campaign in District 3.
Farley’s total contributions grew by $100 during this reporting period, thanks to a San Mateo resident. He now sits at $3,869 in campaign contributions this year.
Most recently, he spent $1,016.20 on his campaign for a year’s total of $3,359.32. Of his expenditures, $1,010 went to sending campaign texts this period.
In District 4, there were few contributions, but nearly $8,000 in campaign expenses.
During this period, Tom Soules raised $600 for a year’s total of $16,360. All contributions this term were $250 or less. And all his donations were from Livermore residents, except one which was given by an Ohio resident.
Soules spent $5,590.34 this period, $5,570 of which went to pay for campaign mailers. This year, he has spent $12,868.67.
Kristie Wang did not receive any contributions this period and remains at $14,798.33 this year, according to the latests reports.
She spent $2,415.82 this period and overall $8,185.72 this year. Her highest expenses this period were fliers, which cost $1,983.09 plus another $178.55 to prepare.
The public can access financial reports for Livermore council races at netfile.com/agency/coa/.
