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The incumbent write-in Struthers mayor was outspent by his Democratic opponent, but still won
YOUNGSTOWN
In the Struthers mayoral race, Democratic nominee Danny Thomas Jr. raised and spent more than twice as much as incumbent Terry Stocker, who won as a write-in candidate.
Campaign-finance reports show that Thomas, who lost to Stocker by 72 votes, raised $18,540 for the general election and spent $19,070. Thomas had $3,639 left in his campaign account from a 40-vote victory over Ronald A. Carcelli in the Democratic primary.
During the general-election campaign, Stocker received $7,550 from contributors. He also lent $2,500 to the campaign. Stocker spent $8,462 on his write-in win.
Candidates who ran in the Nov. 3 election and committees that raised money for issues on that ballot had to file post-general-election reports with county boards of elections by Friday.
Among the issue committees in Mahoning County, the People for MetroParks Political Action Committee spent the most: $70,761.
Mill Creek MetroParks’ 1.75-mill renewal and a 0.25-mill additional levy to raise $11.3 million a year for 15 years was approved by 54.4 percent of voters.
Of the amount the PAC raised, $40,706 was spent between Oct. 15 and Nov. 4. Communications Counsel Inc., a Columbus firm, received $35,631 primarily for producing and placing ads on radio and online as well as for a telephone town hall and a $4,000 campaign-consulting fee.
The Citizens for Developmental Disabilities Levy committee spent $50,905 on its campaign to help get a 3-mill, five-year renewal levy for the county board of developmental disabilities approved. The renewal, which raises $915,489 a year, received approval by 75.6 percent of voters.
The committee spent only $5,150 during the post-general-election period, which is between Oct. 15 and Dec. 4.
The Mahoning County Mental Health & Recovery Board Levy Committee spent $32,750 in its efforts to get the 0.5-mill, five-year renewal levy passed. The issue, which raises $7.6 million annually, received the support of 74 percent of voters.
Among candidates, one of the more interesting donations is $1,000 from Denise DeBartolo York of Canfield, whose family owns the San Francisco 49ers football team, to Jim Villani, a local Green Party activist who finished last in the three-man race for Boardman trustee.
Overall, Villani raised $1,892 for his campaign.
Villani said he and York are second cousins.
“We’re very supportive of each other as a family,” he said.
In Campbell, Nick Phillips, a retired police officer, easily beat incumbent Mayor William J. VanSuch by 22.7 percentage points.
VanSuch raised $3,055, while Phillips raised $4,200. Most of the money for Phillips’ campaign – $3,350 – came from the candidate and his wife, Laura.
It was a tale of two cities in Trumbull County in terms of how much money was spent by the two mayoral candidates in each town.
In Warren, the incumbent, Democrat Doug Franklin spent $59,970 in his hard-fought and successful re-election bid. His opponent, independent Dennis Blank, spent $55,865.
In Niles, Democrat Thomas Scarnecchia spent only $7,427 in winning over write-in Barry Profato, who spent $21,228. Scarnecchia defeated longtime incumbent Ralph Infante in the primary, leaving him with no opponent in November until Profato got in the race.