By DAVID RYAN
Register Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
With about a month to go until the Nov. 7 election, proponents for a parks and open space district in Napa County have far outstripped their opponents in fundraising.
According to campaign finance records filed Oct. 5, the Committee for Measure I has raised more than $57,000 in its quest to build a Parks and Open Space District, with a sizable chunk of that money coming from local and regional environmental groups. Opponents have raised less than $1,000.
The district board would function with five elected members who would oversee the management of public access to more than 100,000 acres of public land in Napa County. Proponents say the county already has a portion of its hotel tax revenues available — possibly up to $600,000 — for the operation of the district, with no foreseeable need to raise other money.
Opponents have charged the proposal for the district lacks specifics regarding how the agency will be funded, and say the proposal is little more than a smokescreen to avoid a two-thirds majority property tax vote at the ballot.
It remains to be seen how the Committee to Stop Measure I will be able to spread its message without raising an amount significantly higher than treasurer Michael Haley says the campaign has in pocket.
“So far, I’ve only collected $900 and I haven’t put it in the bank yet,” he said.
Haley said his campaign has been grassroots so far, relying mostly on him. “I’ve just done everything myself, used my own e-mail, drove places and that sort of thing,” he said.
Haley said the Committee to Stop Measure I is scheduled to have a fundraiser on Wednesday where he expected to receive much more money than what it holds now.
Dave Briggs, member of the Committee for Measure I, said its fundraising work started months ago, gaining large chunks of cash like $3,500 from the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council and $9,999 from the Napa County Land Trust. Smaller donations came from a variety of people and businesses throughout the valley, such as a $100 donation from Cole’s Chop House. The campaign also received funds from former Napa County Supervisor Mike Rippey and development firm Zapolski+Rudd.
Briggs, who also works as a land protection coordinator for the Land Trust, said this measure stirred the group to political action in a way that other measures and candidates have not.
“The Land Trust has almost never been involved with campaigns, but this is too important to sit on the sidelines,” Briggs said. “The Land Trust really can’t do its work without this ... the preserves are open to the public but we don't know how manage public access.”
http://www.napavalleyregister.com/articles/2006/10/10/news/local/doc452b934d98303838492092.txt