91% of incumbent contributions came from special interests91% of campaign contributions to Mayor Hiremath and Council Members Water's Snider and Hornat have come from special interests, according to an August 23 press release of challengers Winfield, Barrett, Jones-Ivey and Nicholson.
Challengers contributions came from the public
"The incumbent’s campaigns have now accepted over $84,000 from groups, companies or individuals looking to influence the Oro Valley town elections," according to the release.
In contrast, challenger funding has come from more than 300 residents and their own pockets. They "...raised $29,311 from over 300 individual contributions from residents supporting their campaigns."
The special interests contributing to the incumbents' campaign include the "usual suspects": Developer HSL, the company that sold the failed El Conquistador Country Club to the town; and developer-landowner Kai family. PAC's contributing include the Realtors of Arizona and the Southern Arizona Home Builders Association.
"Large campaign donations buy access, increase influence"
...the challengers note in their release. They assert that it is wrong to accept “Candidate contributions of this magnitude, from landowners, developers, and special interest groups over whom council can approve land re-zoning applications."
It may be wrong, but it is the way of Oro Valley elections when Hiremath, Snider, Waters and Hornat run.
In all of their four campaigns, they have always received the bulk of their campaign financing from special interests. Their actions on council, as documented over 8 years in LOVE, have demonstrated their preference in serving the needs of these donors.
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Yesterday, LOVE reported that the incumbents are using this special interest money to employ the services of a California political consulting firm. Read on for more.
