Money doesn’t always equate with victory

In Campbell, the incumbent mayor spent $75 to easily win re-election.

By DAVID SKOLNICK

VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER

YOUNGSTOWN — Some candidates spent quite a bit of money to lose in last month’s election.

Also, the committee for the 9.5-mill Youngstown school property tax spent $23,789 on a failed campaign. Voters overwhelmingly rejected the levy 58 percent to 42 percent.

That committee had $4,592 left in its account as of Dec. 7. The financially struggling school district is placing the levy back on the March 4, 2008, primary ballot.

Candidates and issue committees had until Friday to file post-general election campaign finance reports for financial activity between Oct. 18 and Dec. 7.

Supporters of the School Levy for Youngstown’s Children spent most of its money in the days leading up to the Nov. 6 general election.

The committee paid $11,731 to Rubenstein Associates, a Liberty public relations firm, primarily to develop, print and mail information about the levy to city residents.

In the Campbell mayoral race, F. Anthony Fontes spent $5,959, all but $150 coming from the candidate. Fontes received 42 percent of the vote losing to incumbent Mayor John E. Dill, who spent $75 of his own money on his re-election effort.

One of the most expensive races in Mahoning County was for Boardman trustee. Brad Calhoun spent $21,016 to lose the race to Larry Moliterno, who spent $19,964 on the campaign.

The part-time job of Poland mayor pays $8,000 a year. John H. Yerian III spent $12.007 in a losing effort for the seat. Yerian received 400 votes to finish second in the three-man race for the open seat. That’s more than $30 a vote. Yerian lost to Timothy Sicafuse, who spent $9,076 on his campaign. That’s also more than the job’s annual salary.

Sicafuse received 636 votes, costing him $14.27 a vote.

skolnick@vindy.com