Ross finished funding race strong

Dan Kulin

Monday, July 18, 2005 | 9:32 a.m.

New Las Vegas Councilman Steve Ross bolstered his campaign fundraising and spending edge in the final weeks leading up to the June 7 election he narrowly won, according to campaign finance reports filed Friday.

Ross beat fellow first-time candidate Mary Gillins by 128 votes in a hotly contested race for the Ward 6 seat left open when t Councilman Michael Mack decided not to seek re-election.

According to the campaign reports, during the final reporting period covering May 27 to June 30, Ross raised $86,295 and spent $98,092. For the campaign, Ross raised $474,415 and spent $408,210. Left over money can be used for campaign expenses while in office and banked for future races.

Ross' totals far exceeded those put up by Gillins, who raised about $110,000 less and spent about $45,000 less than Ross during the campaign.

According to Gillins' campaign finance report, she raised $52,850 and spent $68,506 during that last reporting period. For the campaign, Gillins raised and spent $362,620.

Candidates with a monetary edge typically fare better in elections, and the Ross-Gillins race is another example of the election going to the better-funded candidate.

Both candidates' spending went mostly to their respective campaign managers, who fueled the final weeks of the campaign with a slew of campaign literature mailed to Ward 6 voters.

Donors to the Ross and Gillins campaigns included builders and developers, union groups and casinos.

Contributions to Ross' campaign included $10,000 from Plise Companies; $5,000 from Towbin Hummer Superstore; $4,500 from both Pebble Commercial Center and Wellington Meadows Apartments; $4,000 from Woodside Homes of Nevada; and $1,000 each from Caesars Entertainment and the Hard Rock Hotel.

Donations to Gillins included $4,000 from Cherry Development; $2,000 from the Palms; and $500 from Caesars Entertainment.

The Ross-Gillins race was the only contest on the city's June 7 general election ballot. A two-man race for Municipal Court ended in the primary, and the other council members and city judges whose terms were expiring were automatically re-elected when no challengers filed to run against them.

Councilman Larry Brown, who represents Ward 4 and whose re-election was uncontested, raised another $3,500, which brought his fund-raising total to $427,300. Brown also spent $9,927, mostly on donations to local nonprofit organizations, raising his total spent during this campaign season to $103,124

Councilman Steve Wolfson, who also didn't face any challengers in his election to the Ward 2 seat to which he had been appointed, raised another $500, bringing his total to $224,350. And although he reported no spending during the last reporting period, for the campaign season Wolfson's expenditures totaled $30,884.

Municipal Judge Cedric Kerns, who beat challenger Mathew Harter in the April primary election, reported raising another $9,850 and spending $17,800 during the last reporting period. Those figures brought Kerns' total for the campaign to $188,990 raised and $194,326 spent.

Harter reported no spending or fundraising during the last reporting period. His totals for the campaign were a $47,399 loan from himself and spending of $47,369.