Candidates for local offices in Wichita Falls have filed their latest campaign expense reports, and the race for mayor is raking in the most dollars.
Finance reports were required to be filed with the City Clerk’s Office by July 15 to cover the period since Jan. 1. Candidates may file to run for city offices through Aug. 17. Election Day is Nov. 3.
Incumbent Mayor Tim Short leads the pack with $13,900 in total political contributions and also reports $12,000 in outstanding loans to the campaign. He maintained $13,675.30 in political contributions as of the last day of the reporting period.
His largest contribution, $5,000, came from the Texas State Farm Agents Political Action Committee, and the rest were from individuals.
His total political expenditures during the period were $2,204.03. The largest part, $1,755.86, went to the Hoegger Communications advertising agency.
Short’s challenger for the post, Scott Poenitzsch, reported total political contributions of $1,550.
His contributions were from individuals with the largest a total of $600. His campaign contributions maintained as the last day of the filing period totaled $1,293.86.
His total political expenditure during the period was $226.17. The largest expense was $111.03 to Office Depot for yard signs.
The only other contested race on the ballot as of July 28 was for the District 3 seat on the City Council.
Candidate David Coleman reported no political contributions but outstanding loans of $4,350. His only political expenditure was a $3 service fee to American National Bank.
Candidate Cathy Dodson reported no political contributions and no political expenditures.
City Council districts 4 and 5 are also on the ballot, but incumbents had drawn no opponents as of July 28.
District 4 incumbent Michael Battaglino reported total political contributions of $8,925. His contributions came from individuals. The largest was for $1,000. He maintained $4,285.31 in contributions on the last day of the reporting period.
His total political expenditures were $3,750.07. The largest was $2,000 to Leadership Wichita Falls for a sponsorship in the Red Dirt Derby.
District 5 incumbent Tom Taylor reported no political contributions during the period, but $457.52 in contributions maintained as of the last day of the reporting period.
He listed $29.44 in political expenditures for checks for his campaign checking account.
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Wichita Falls mayor’s race draws the most spending
Reporting by Lynn Walker, Wichita Falls Times Record News / Wichita Falls Times Record News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Lynn Walker, Wichita Falls Times Record News | USA TODAY Network
