City Council Candidates Loaning Money to Campaigns

Election season means campaign signs sprouting in yards and busy intersections and mailboxes stuffed with fliers from candidates asking for your vote.

Mounting a political campaign costs money, and some candidates boost their coffers by loaning their own money to the cause.

Three of the four candidates for the Poway City Council have loaned money to their campaigns, with Gary Vineyard digging the deepest into his own pockets. According to campaign disclosures for the latest financing period that ended Oct. 20, Vineyard has lent his campaign $26,100, and he has not accepted any outside contributions.

Jeff Mangum has loaned $10,000 to his campaign, including $9,000 that was reported on the latest disclosure statement, which covers Oct. 1-20. His campaign has raised a total of $19,868, including Mangum’s loans.

Incumbent Jim Cunningham has loaned his campaign $4,500, which has raised a total of $13,334. He did not loan money to the campaign between Oct. 1-20.

Steve Vaus remains the only candidate to rely solely on outside contributions, reporting no personal loans to his campaign. His campaign has raised $18,370, with $3,783 coming in between Oct. 1-20.

The Vineyard campaign has been in a debate with the city over campaign signs that were taken down, put up again, only to be taken down once again. Regulations prohibit signs larger than 4 feet by 6 feet. Vineyard put up three 4-by-6 signs right next to each other that together spelled out his last name. Read the full report on the Poway News Chieftain.