One Youngstown judicial candidate loans $17,500 to his campaign

By DAVID SKOLNICK and ED RUNYAN

news@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

The two Democratic candidates for Youngstown Municipal Court judge raised about the same amount of money from contributors, but one loaned $17,500 to his campaign compared with $1,000 from the other.

Martin Hume, a Mahoning County assistant prosecutor and the city’s former law director, raised $14,145 from donors between Jan. 1 and April 17 compared with $14,725 by Jeff Limbian, the current city law director.

Hume loaned $17,500 to his campaign compared with $1,000 from Limbian.

The two are facing each other in the May 7 Democratic primary with the winner running in November against Judge Renee M. DiSalvo, a Republican appointed by then-Gov. John Kasich to fill a vacancy starting Nov. 5, 2018. The seat is for a six-year term.

Hume spent $28,417 between Jan. 1 and April 17.

Limbian filed his campaign costs of $7,128 as outstanding debt rather than expenditures, which is what candidates typically do.

Democratic candidates for local offices have filed their pre-election campaign finance reports with local elections boards.

In the Democratic primary for Struthers mayor, Catherine Cercone-Miller, the secretary to the law director, outraised her opponent, Councilman Michael S. Patrick nearly four to one.

Between Jan. 1 and April 17, Cercone Miller received $15,680 in contributions compared with $4,088 for Patrick.

Also, she spent $11,392 to $2,822 for Patrick during the same time period.

No Republican has filed for Struthers mayor. The deadline for independent candidates to turn in nominating petitions is Monday.

Incumbent Mayor Terry Stocker, who was re-elected four years ago as a write-in candidate, hasn’t said if he’ll run for another term.

The big spenders in Democratic primaries in Trumbull County leading up to the May 7 primary are Warren Law Director Greg Hicks and his opponent, Enzo Cantalamessa, who is currently Warren safety service director.

Hicks spent $22,767, compared with $20,013 for Cantalamessa, according to their recently filed campaign finance reports.

Hicks received contributions of $10,105 during the filing period, compared with Cantalamessa’s $26,125. Hicks has $1,769 left in his campaign account compared with Cantalamessa’s $17,379.

Hicks did not list any individual contributions of at least $1,000, but Cantalamessa had five. They are $1,000 each from Terrance Thomas of Community Busing Services; Samuel Covelli of Covelli Enterprises; Bill Siderewicz of Clean Energy Future; Sheet Metal Workers of Youngstown; and Thomas Bellish of Hudson, president of Buckeye Energy Brokers.

Cantalamessa also received in-kind contributions of $2,500 in food, beverages and an advertisement from his family’s restaurant, Enzo’s Restaurant in Warren, and $2,000 in food and beverages from DiLucia’s Banquet Room in Warren.

For Niles mayor, incumbent Steve Mientkiewicz spent $8,061, compared with challenger Jimmy DePasquale, who spent $2,419. Mientkiewicz received contributions of $450 and now has $7,315. DePasquale received contributions of $2,500 and now has $81. DePasquale had contributions of $1,000 each from John DePasquale and Rose DePasquale, both of Niles.

For Hubbard mayor, Councilman Ben Kyle spent $5,798, compared with Councilman Tim O’Hara’s $6,855.

Kyle received contributions of $8,154 and now has $3,180. O’Hara received contributions of $6,877 and now has $22.

CAMPAIGN FINANCE

Pre-primary reports

Candidates and issues on the May 7 primary ballot had to file campaign finance reports for activity between Jan. 1 and April 17. Only those who raised or spent at least $1,000 are listed. Because of rounding, not all figures are exact. The reports are subject to review by county boards of elections. An * denotes incumbents.

MAHONING COUNTY

YOUNGSTOWN

MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE

Martin Hume (D): Had, $0; contributions, $14,145; other income, $17,500 [loan from candidate]; spent, $28,417; has, $2,228; outstanding loans, $17,500.

Jeff Limbian (D): Had, $0; contributions, $14,725; other income, $1,000 [loan from candidate]; spent, $0; has, $15,725; outstanding debt, $7,128.

CITY COUNCIL

1ST WARD

Julius T. Oliver* (D): Had, $4; contributions, $4,096; other income, $400 [loan from candidate]; spent, $2,779; has, $1,721; outstanding loans, $2,715. Major contributor: Herb Washington of Boardman, $1,000.

2ND WARD

Ra’Cole Taltoan (D): Had, $0; contributions, $1,712; spent, $1,739; owes, $27; in-kind, $122.

3RD WARD

Denice Necie Neal-Davis (D): Had, $0; contributions, $2,340; spent, $1,477; has, $863; in-kind, $550, outstanding debt, $800. Major contributor: Gregg Gaylord of Milwaukee, Wisc.

5TH WARD

Lauren McNally* (D): Had, $0; contributions, $700; other income, $700 [loan from husband, Breen McNally]; spent, $814; has, $586; outstanding loans, $700; outstanding debt, $1,000.

Jim Cerimele (D): Had, $0; contributions, $2,150; other income, $1,100 [$1,000 loan from candidate, $100 loan from Ken Cerimele of Canfield]; spent, $2,376; has, $874; outstanding loans, $1,100.

STRUTHERS

MAYOR

Michael S. Patrick (D): Had, $1,144; contributions, $4,088; spent, $2,822; has, $2,410; in-kind, $1,974.

Catherine Cercone Miller (D): Had, $310; contributions, $15,680; spent, $11,392; has, $4,598.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT

Joseph Rudzik (D): Had, $72; contributions, $1,500; spent, $80; has, $1,492. Major contributor: Jan Martin of Struthers, $1,500.

COUNCIL AT LARGE

Dallas Bigley* (D): Had, $5,746; contributions, $0; spent, $2,191; has, $3,555.

Anthony Pastella (D): Had, $0; contributions, $1,800; spent, $1,404; has, $396.

TRUMBULL COUNTY

WARREN

MAYOR

Doug Franklin* (D): Had, $14,214; contributions, $75; spent, $1,370; has, $12,919.

LAW DIRECTOR

Enzo Cantlamessa (D): Had, $4,267; contributions, $26,125; other income, $7,000 (self loan); spent, $20,013; has, $17,379; in-kind contributions, $4,500. Major contributors: Terrance Thomas, Youngstown, $1,000; Samuel Covelli, Warren, $1,000; Bill Siderewicz, Manchester, Mass., $1,000; Sheet Metal Workers, Youngstown, $1,000; Thomas Bellish, Hudson, $1,000.

Greg Hicks* (D): Had, $11,931; contributions, $10,105; other income, $2,500 (self loan); spent, $22,767; has, $1,769.

3RD WARD COUNCIL

Greg Greathouse (D): Had, $0; contributions, $0; spent, $0; has, $0; in-kind contributions $2,478.

Michael Scala (D): Had, $0; contributions, $0; spent, $0; has, $0; in-kind self contributions $2,166.

NILES

MAYOR

Jimmy DePasquale (D): Had, 0; contributions, $2,500; spent $2,419; has $81; in-kind contributions $353. Major contributors: John DePasquale, Niles, $1,000; Rose DePasquale, Niles, $1,000.

Steve Mientkiewicz* (D): Had, $8,481; contributions, $450; other income, $2; spent $8,061; has $7,315.

2ND WARD COUNCIL

Sam Ragozine (D): Had, $0; contributions, $0; spent, $0; has, $0; in-kind self contributions, $1,041.

Sheri Smith* (D): Had, $0; contributions, $0; spent, $0; has, $0; in-kind self contributions, $2,628.

HUBBARD

MAYOR

Ben Kyle (D): Had, $825; contributions, $8,154; spent, $5,798; has, $3,180; in-kind contributions, $1,826.

Tim O’Hara (D): Had, $0; contributions, $6,877 spent, $6,855; has, $22; in-kind contributions, $4,090.