Published: July 26, 2008 01:00 am            

ELECTION 2008: Maziarz is fundraising leader of the pack

A few things stand out in state Sen. George Maziarz’s latest campaign finance report.

First and foremost, Maziarz, R-Newfane, has an imposing campaign kitty, $830,000. It’s by far the fattest kitty of any state legislator who represents a portion of Niagara County. Only longtime state Assembly member Robin Schimminger, D-Kenmore, comes close, at $370,000.

Second, the Committee to Elect Maziarz State Senate raised a hefty sum — nearly $238,000 — in the six-month period Jan. 15 through July 15. The second-largest sum, $120,000, was raised by Niagara Falls-area state Sen. Antoine Thompson, D-Buffalo.

Third, most of the money Maziarz raised came from outside his 62nd Senate district. By the ZIP codes listed with each contribution, about $20,000 came from individuals, partnerships, corporations and political action committees — PACs — based in the district; the remainder, more than 90 percent, came from out-of-district sources.

Among Niagara-area legislators, Maziarz leads the pack in gifts from PACs. His committee took in $72,700 from PACs whose pet causes revolve around law, health, labor, banking/finance, business, real estate/construction and utilities, and another $74,150 from corporations involved in those and other fields.

Utility, fuel companies and telecommunication interests were big givers to the Maziarz committee in the first half of this year. Upwards of 50 electric, cogeneration, alternative energy and telephone companies and lobbies together donated approximately $50,000.

Maziarz is a six-year member and was recently appointed chairman of the Senate’s energy and telecommunications committee. He said Friday that these interests probably are regular donors to his campaign, but the donations don’t sway his thinking about committee business because he is not aware, on a routine basis, who has given.

Campaign fund-raising is handled by his Elect Maziarz committee, not him personally, he added.

“I’m sure at one time or another most of those (PACs) have donated to me,” Maziarz said. “I don’t think there’s any connection between them and my (Senate) committee assignment. ... I have very little to do with the fundraising operation. It’s done by my (Elect) committee.”

Having a substantial portion of his campaign funds raised outside his Senate district is common, Maziarz said. Campaign staff hold fundraisers regularly and target both in- and out-of-district donors, he said.

Maziarz doesn’t hesitate to defend the size of his campaign fund or the notion that his committee should keep raising money. He figures a competitive general race — one in which he has a Democratic opponent — costs him “several hundred thousand dollars” on average, in part for print and broadcast advertising in two major media markets, Buffalo and Rochester.

This year he has a primary challenge on his hands, as well as general election opposition, both from Cambria Republican Brian Grear. Plus, it’s a presidential election year, which tends to drive higher voter turnout. It all adds up to a more expensive re-election campaign, and he can’t run it without financial help, Maziarz said.

“Serving in the Senate is all I do. I don’t have any (income) on the side. I’m not a wealthy person,” he said.

Grear, who launched his campaign last month, suggested the size of the Maziarz kitty, and its sources, should raise some red flags among voters.

“There’s always a price to pay when you’ve got all this special interest money coming in, and it’s at the expense of taxpayers,” Grear said. “George has got a lot to lose with this election, the way he’s feathered his nest. He should be concerned with the way the wind blows. It’s starting to get breezy.”

Grear has raised “pennies and nickels” from family and friends to date, he said. A couple fundraisers are in the works for this summer and he anticipates Democratic party financial support will be forthcoming, since he obtained its backing in all three counties included in the 62nd district. He has no expectation of being able to match Maziarz dollar-for-dollar in campaign spending and doesn’t think it’s necessary.

“It’s not about the money. If it was, I’d hang it up right now,” Grear said. “It’s about taxes, job losses, contamination coming into our towns and so many other things.”

According to Maziarz’s July periodic financial filing:

• Smokin’ Joe’s Retail of Sanborn gave $9,500, making it the single largest corporate contributor. In the individual/partnerships category, $9,500 donors were Leslie M. Westreich, Shira Westreich, Jaclyn Yashar and Gayle Yashar, all of New York City, Josh Yashar of Woodmere and James A. Schlesinger of Coral Gables, Fla. Schlesinger, Leslie M. Westreich, and Josh Yashar all are real estate developers.

• Other large-sum donors were: Genesee & Wyoming Inc., a short line and regional freight railroad operator, and two subsidiaries, $7,500 together; Fashion Outlets of Niagara LLC, $5,000; Harris Beach law firm’s political committee, $5,000; the Committee to Promote Upstate Manufacturing, $5,000; Lockport-based real estate developer David L. Ulrich, $4,400; Verizon Communication Inc.’s Good Government committee, $4,000; Medina-based ethanol producer Western New York Energy LLC, $3,200; Syracuse-based law firm Hiscock & Barclay LLP, $3,000; and the Wine PAC, $2,500.

• Maziarz transferred $50,000 from his fund to the Niagara County Republican Committee in early January. It’s the single-largest Maziarz-to-Niagara County GOP transfer ever, and Maziarz said it was made to help the county committee cover debts from the 2007 local election cycle and start cultivating candidates for the next local cycle.

• Maziarz also transferred $3,000 to the Monroe County GOP Committee, $2,000 to the Committee to Elect Paula Banks Dahlke, $1,000 each to the Independence Party of New York and New York State Republican Committee, and $500 to the state Conservative Party. Smaller amounts, between $25 and $200, were transferred to miscellaneous county and town party committees.

Contact reporter Joyce Miles at 439-9222, ext. 6245.



POLITICAL FUNDRAISERS



July 2008 periodic campaign financial disclosure reports filed by local, sitting state Senate and Assembly members show brisk fundraising by some in the Jan. 15 to July 15 period. From the records:

*Assembly member Michael Cole, R-Alden, hasn’t filed a report yet.

Sen. George Maziarz

R-Newfane

Raised: $238,000

• Individual donors 38%

• Corporate donors 31%

• PACs 30%

Spent: $159,000

Campaign fund balance: $830,000

Sen. Antoine Thompson

D-Buffalo

Raised: $119,781

• Individual donors 35%

• Corporate donors 24%

• PACs 38%

Spent: $85,090

Campaign fund balance: $50,543

Assemblywoman Francine DelMonte

D-Youngstown

Raised: $13,705

• Individual donors 28%

• Corporate donors 15%

• PACs 57%

Spent: $7,178

Campaign fund balance: $33,718

Assemblyman James Hayes

R-Amherst

Raised: $73,234

• Individual donors 56%

• Corporate donors 23%

• PACs 20%

Spent: $69,447

Campaign fund balance: $53,327

Assemblyman Robin Schimminger

D-Kenmore

Raised: $71,300

• Individual donors 24%

• Corporate donors 30%

• PACs 45%

Spent: $25,690

Campaign fund balance: $370,485

Assemblyman Stephen Hawley

R-Batavia

Raised: $15,005

• Individual donors 31%

• Corporate donors 42%

• PACs 27%

Spent: $1,814

Campaign fund balance: $56,507

        

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