GARY SHUMWAY for Summit County Council

Well what can you expect? The Park Record did it's duty in reporting the basic data regarding the Summit Council candidate's campaign financial reports but that is where they stopped.

There is no mention that 99% of the $44,000 in contributions that the 'gang of four' (Elliott, McMullin, Hanrahan, and Robinson) Democrats received were from the West side or out of the county. There was no mention, that on average the 'gang of four" spent some $9,000 each vs their Republican and Constitution Party opponents who spent some $1,700. And that does not include the amount, about $7,000 in additional funds that already have been donated and are still available to the 'gang of four'.

Put another way, there is no mention that the 'gang of four' received donations of some $44,000 vs the some $4,000 for the Republicans and $0 for the Constitution Party. Why not summarize the data so the public can get the true sense of the remarkable difference in contributions and spending? There is no questioning the spending of $9,000 per 'gang of four' candidate, on a some $37,000 a year county job.

One more time. Did you get that?! Less than one percent (0.96%) or $435 of the donations to the four Democrats came from the East side! You can draw your own conclusions from those figures.

Pat Parkinson did mention that Chris Robinson obtained some big donations but, IMHO, he did not break it down far enough. It should be noted that at, on average, $386 per donor, Chris had the biggest donations per candidate of any of the candidates. Robinson received some pretty hefty funding from those contributing to his campaign. Looking at Robinson's financial report, we find three donations for $1,000 or more and eight contributions of between $500 and $999. Power to the people! Yeah, right.

There was also no exploration of why Steve Weinstein was the poor Democrat step-child. That is, he did not get the donations the 'gang of four' did, the 'gang' did not even help in his campaign, i.e., spread the wealth around, and most interestingly, the Summit County Democrat Party did not even donate to Steve's campaign, whereas they donated $500 to each of the other candidates. I find that interesting and worthy of at lest a mention but instead there is just a reporting of the amount Weinstein spent. Let's get the shovel out, Pat.

If the Democrats sweep the Council election, it will be $44,000 well spent. We will have to wait and see if this translates into the voice of all the Summit County residents actually being heard. The East side better get out and vote November 4th. Money alone does not ensure success at the ballot box, but if the voice of all the people isn't heard, it wouldn't have hurt.

Here is the Park Record article by Pat Parkinson dated 10/31/2008 entitled "Elliott, so far, is the biggest spender; Some candidates in County Council races reported no contributions":

Finance disclosures filed Tuesday show Summit County Commissioner Sally Elliott, a Democrat vying for seat A on the Summit County Council, has spent more than any other candidate in the five county races.

Elliott's campaign had spent $15,646 and was in the hole about $16 this week. Her opponent, Woodland Republican Bill Miles, had spent $1,886, according to financial reports filed Tuesday.

Miles has received only three campaign contributions: $1,000 from Geary Construction, $250 from Salt Lake City lobbyist Doug Foxley and $200 from Oakley residents Ken and Karren Woolstenhulme.

Elliott boasts having more than 60 campaign contributors. Her largest donation was $3,500 from Parkite William White.

Those who contributed $500 to Elliott's campaign include: Parkite Donna Van Buren, Oklahoma resident Bill Settle, Heber residents Roy and Molly Hamilton, Equality Utah and the Summit County Democratic Party.

Snyderville Basin Democrat Claudia McMullin outspent her Republican opponent in the race for County Council seat B. McMullin has spent about $6,546 and she received $500 contributions from Van Buren, Park City resident Rory Murphy and the Summit County Democratic Party.

Richins, who has received only two contributions, has spent $2,501. Geary Construction donated $1,000 and Richins contributed $1,501 to his campaign.

Silver Creek Democrat John Hanrahan and Park City Republican Tom Hurd are competing for seat C on the Summit County Council.

Hanrahan reported raising about $7,780 and spending about $5,409. His two largest contributions were $2,000 from Parkite Beano Solomon and $1,000 from Gary and Linda Barbour.

Hurd contributed $5,000 to his campaign of which he has spent $2,385.

Three candidates are vying for Summit County Council seat D and Basin Democrat Chris Robinson has outspent his opponents in the race. Robinson, who has spent about $8,647, received a $2,000 contribution from Park City resident John Miller.

California resident Lawrence Riches and Parkite Burton Stohl each contributed $1,000 to Robinson's campaign.

Robinson's Republican opponent, Parkite Alison Pitt, has spent about $364 on her campaign and received no contributions.

Jeremy Ranch resident Gary Shumway, a member of the Constitution Party, also received no contributions. Shumway reportedly has spent $1,250 campaigning for seat D.

Finally, Kamas Republican David Ure has outspent his Democrat opponent in the race for County Council seat E. Salt Lake City lobbyist Doug Foxley donated $500 and Ure reported spending about $3,217.

Samak Democrat Steve Weinstein is vying against Ure and reportedly has spent only $352 on his campaign. Nobody had contributed money to Weinstein's campaign.

Candidates must file their final financing forms within 30 days of Election Day.