October 3, 2022
By Elaine Goodman
Daily Post Correspondent
Julie Lythcott-Haims is the front-runner when it comes to donations in the race for Palo Alto City Council, raising $69,561 since the beginning of the campaign, about $24,000 more than the second-highest fundraiser.
That’s according to campaign finance reports filed with the city, which cover fundraising through Sept. 24. Seven candidates are running for three council seats in the Nov. 8 election.
Lythcott-Haims’ fundraising total compares to $45,197 raised by Vicki Veenker; $37,953 by Lisa Forssell; $30,521 by Ed Lauing; $25,595 by Doria Summa; and $4,440 by Alex Comsa. Candidate Brian Hamachek’s total is $1,500, which he donated to his own campaign on Sept. 23.
Those totals don’t include contributions received after the fundraising period ended Sept. 24. Since then, Summa gave her campaign a boost with a $30,000 loan on Oct. 1. And Comsa loaned his own campaign $17,000 on Sept. 28.
The seven candidates are vying for council seats now held by Tom DuBois, Eric Filseth and Alison Cormack. DuBois and Filseth can’t run for a third term due to term limits, while Cormack decided not to seek a second term.
Julie Lythcott-Haims
Of the total campaign funds that Lythcott-Haims collected, $34,185 was raised since July 1.
Among her donors are several former Palo Alto mayors. Larry Klein gave $1,038, Betsy Bechtel donated $779, Dena Mossar contributed $104 and Bern Beecham gave $250.
Cormack, a current council member, gave Lyth-cott-Haims $1,000 in June and supplied refreshments valued at $14.74 for a candidate meet-and-greet last month.
A donation of $500 came from Giselle Hale’s Assembly campaign. The Redwood City Mayor dropped out of this year’s Assembly race.
San Carlos Councilwoman Laura Parmer-Lohan, who is running for San Mateo County Supervisor, gave $259.
So far Lythcott-Haims, who is an author, has spent $39,765 on her campaign.
In addition to expenditures for campaign mailers, yard signs and newspaper ads, Lythcott-Haims has paid three interns a combined total of $3,765 since July 1.
She paid Clarice Cho of Brooklyn, New York, $2,300 for professional services. The filing doesn’t specify the types of services.
And Lythcott-Haims paid Jeannette Miller of Jackson, Mississippi, $3,625 for scheduling assistance, according to the filing.
Vicki Veenker
Lawyer Vicki Veenker received $500 for her campaign from Mayor Patrick Burt and $250 from councilman DuBois.
Councilwoman Cormack gave $1,000 plus $14.74 worth of refreshments for a campaign event.
Veenker’s donations also include $250 from the Anna Eshoo for Congress campaign, $500 from Marc Berman for Assembly, and $250 from Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian. Former mayors Klein, Bechtel, and Beecham gave $1,000, $750, and $500, respectively.
Gary Kremen, founder of Match.com and a Menlo Park resident, donated $1,000. And Veenker gave her own campaign $1,000.
Veenker’s campaign expenditures total $8,549.
Lisa Forssell
Forssell, who serves on the city’s Utilities Advisory Commission, received $1,000 from the Plumbers, Steamfitters and Refrigeration Fitters, Local 393 political action fund.
She’s the third candidate to receive financial support from current councilmember Cormack, including $1,000 and $14.74 in refreshments for a campaign event.
Supervisor Simitian donated $250. Former mayors Bechtel, Beecham and Mossar gave $750, $250 and $100, respectively.
She received $250 from the Santa Clara County League of Conservation Voters.
Forssell had spent $21,049 on her campaign as of Sept. 24.
Ed Lauing
Lauing, the chairman of Palo Alto’s Planning and Transportation Commission, received $500 from fellow commission member Doria Summa, who is also running for City Council. Former commission member Asher Waldfogel donated $690.
Mayor Burt contributed $500 and councilman Filseth donated $999.
Lauing has spent $12,911 for campaign expenses, including buttons, T-shirts, hats, fliers and Facebook ads.
Doria Summa
Summa, vice chair of the city’s Planning and Transportation Commission, received a $999 donation from councilman Filseth, $250 from councilman DuBois and $1,000 from Vice Mayor Lydia Kou.
Bryna Chang, a fellow commission SUMMA member, gave $200. Summa’s $15,271 in expenditures includes about $4,500 on campaign fliers.
Alex Comsa
Comsa, a real estate agent, has raised $4,400, which includes $2,900 that he loaned to his campaign as of Sept. 24. His campaign expenditures of $4,394 include signs, buttons, T-shirts, web design and appetizers at The Patio in Palo Alto.