Republicans Have More to Spend

    In the home stretch of the election season, the East Hampton Town Democratic Committee and its campaign committee, Campaign 2011, had far less in their campaign accounts than the East Hampton Town Republicans and committees supporting the top G.O.P. candidates — just over $29,000 compared to $82,033.

    However, reports filed with the New York State Board of Elections this week showed that the Democrats had bested their opponents in fund-raising between mid July and early October to the tune of more than $37,000, and that does not include contributions to the East Hampton Conservators, a political action committee that has supported Democratic candidates in the last several local elections.

    In the first half of the year, the Conservators raised nearly $60,000, but as of yesterday, the political action committee’s campaign finance disclosure report covering the period from mid-July through Oct. 3 was not available on the board of elections Web site.

    During that period, the Democrats raised $95,774 and the various G.O.P. committees brought in $58,122.

    Trace Duryea, chairwoman of the East Hampton Town Republican Committee, said that a large portion of the money Republicans had anticipated raising was “wiped out” by Tropical Storm Irene, which swept into town on Aug. 28 when one of the G.O.P.’s biggest events was planned, a private house party that Rudy Giuliani was to attend. The event had to be canceled, eliminating “a tidy sum” the Republicans were hoping to raise.

    Despite that, the East Hampton Town Republican Committee raised about $25,600 from individual contributions, while corporate donations were reported at about $550, the bulk of which, $450, was donated by Perry Duryea & Son of Montauk. In the first half of the year, Republicans had reported corporate contributions of $8,000.

    The major contributions made this cycle came from Alexander Laughlin of East Hampton, who gave $2,500, Stanley Arkin of Amagansett who gave $2,000, Barbara Arkin, who gave $1,000, and Lucy Cookson of East Hampton and Paul Scheerer of Sag Harbor, who each gave $1,000.

    Supervisor Bill Wilkinson, a Republican, received approximately $15,000 in contributions to his political committee, Wilkinson for Supervisor. His significant supporters this period included Daniel Stavola and Susan Grimes of Montauk, Thomas Milne of Jamaica, Queens, Lucy Cookson and Charles Durkin of East Hampton, Katherine Bristor of Amagansett and New York City, Paul Scheerer Jr. of Sag Harbor, and Eugene Oshrin of Southampton, each of whom gave $1,000. the maximum allowed to a candidate’s campaign committee. Former Metropolitan Transit Authority chairman Peter Kalikow, and his wife, Mary, who divide their time between Montauk and New York City, each donated $1,000 as well.    

    Richard Haeg, a Republication candidate for town board, raised $12,335 for his committee, Friends of Richard Haeg, with $10,485 coming from individual donations. Major contributors include Mr. Kalikow, and Cyril Fitzsimons of Amagansett, who each gave who each gave $1,000.

    Steven Gaines, his running mate for town board, raised $3,265 for Gaines for East Hampton, with $2,145 coming from individual contributions. The highest donation, $500, came from Bob Balaban of Bridgehampton. The East Hampton Town Republican Committee transferred $1,200 to Gaines for East Hampton.

    Lisa R. Rana, Republican incumbent town justice, did not file reports for this cycle, and Stephen Grossman, the Democrats’ candidate for town justice, did not set up a personal committee.

    On the Democratic side, Zach Cohen for supervisor and Sylvia Overby and Peter Van Scoyoc for town board, have not set up their own campaign committees.

    Between mid July and early October, Campaign 2011 received impressive financial support, throughout the past two and a half months, gathering more than $86,000 in contributions, with more than $55,700 streaming in from individual donations.

    Alec Baldwin of Amagansett and New York City gave the most, $7,500, followed by $5,000 from David Gruber of East Hampton. Other significant contributions came from David Kelley of Sag Harbor who gave $2,500 and Lyle Greenfield of Amagansett, who gave $2,000.

    Stephen Beckerman of Amagansett and New Jersey, Peter Lowenstein of Montauk, Gary Fuhrman of East Hampton, Adelaide de Menil of East Hampton and New York City, Joann Svanberg of Wainscott, Susan Ringo of East Hampton, Charline Spektor of East Hampton and New York City, David Doty of Wainscott, Annette Cumming of East Hampton, and Richard Zimmerman of Amagansett all gave $1,000 donations.

    The Suffolk County Democratic Committee gave Campaign 2011 $13,970. The committee also received corporate contributions from Island Resurfacing of Medford, which gave $1,500, and from Rosemar Construction  of East Moriches, Parkline Asphalt of Brookhaven, and TRG Properties of Middle Island, each of which donated $1,000.

    Larger donations to the East Hampton Town Democratic Committee came from Peter Cooper of East Hampton, Linda Kamm of Amagansett, and Katherine Rayner of East Hampton, who each gave $1,000. Robert Hoguet of East Hampton, Harry Kamen of Wainscott, and Richard Madan of East Hampton made $500 donations, and Peter Wadsworth and Peter Wolf, both of East Hampton, each gave $400.

    In terms of spending, Republicans and Democrats were almost neck and neck betwen mid July and early October, with the top G.O.P. committees laying out $65,744 and the Democrats’ committees spending about $60,000.

    The Republican Committee also reported an impressive $56,000 in expenditures, paying over $16,000 for advertising between mid July and early October, including $5,340 to WLNG Radio. The committee spent $4,657 on lawn signs, $4,000 in consultation fees and $6,566 for polling with Strategic Planning Systems of Bohemia, and $6,541 was paid to Data Tech Solutions, also of Bohemia, for campaign mailings.

    Mr. Wilksinson’s committee reported no spending for the period.

    Friends of Richard Haeg spent $7,281, including $2,500 for a fund-raising event at Rugosa, and $1,500 in television advertisement with WVVH-TV Hamptons Television.

    All of Mr. Gaines’s reported expenditures of $1,520 were spent on radio advertising with WLNG and Long Island Radio Broadcasting.

    Campaign 2011 reported more than $60,000 in expenditures, approximately $20,000 of which was spent on print and radio advertising. The committees spent $10,000 on campaign literature, $13,000 on campaign mailings and postage, and $2,400 on lawn signs. Campaign 2011 paid $4,500 to Winning Connections of Washington, D.C., for polling.

    While the East Hampton Independence Party had yet file its financial disclosure reports as of press time, the party’s chairwoman, Elaine Jones, said that readers would be “very surprised” by some of the contributors.

    The two Independence Party candidates for town board, Bill Mott and Marilyn Behan, together raised approximately $7,500 for their own committees. Friends of Bill Mott received nearly $4,900 in contributions and Friends of Marilyn Behan received about $2,600. The bulk of the donations to Mr. Mott’s committee came from individuals, but Bistrain Materials of East Hampton gave $500. Most of Ms. Behan’s donations were from individuals, but she did receive a $500 contribution from Montauk Shores Condominium.

    The committees’ next campaign disclosure reports, covering contributions and expenditures through Oct. 24, are to be filed on Oct. 28.