All Salina Town Board candidates are running unopposed this year, making for some pretty unremarkable campaign finance filings.
According to the July 2015 periodic report, Supervisor Mark Nicotra, who is running unopposed for his fifth term in the town’s top spot, has a total of $7,674.79 in his campaign account. Nicotra, a Republican who first won the office in 2007, spent $4,582.28 in the most recent reporting period on a variety of expenses, including campaign contributions to fellow Republicans Tim Burtis, Mark Venesky, Kevin Holmquist and John Katko, campaign fundraisers, office supplies and charitable contributions to local groups like the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, Lyncourt School, Ronald McDonald House of Central New York and Liverpool, Salt City and Lyncourt Little Leagues. He also listed a contribution to the Salina Republican Committee in the amount of $500.
Nicotra listed no contributions into his campaign fund in the period in question.
As for the town board, the campaigns of the majority of its members — First Ward Councilor Colleen Gunnip, Third Ward Councilor Jerry Ciciarelli and Fourth Ward Councilor Mike DelVecchio — are funded by the Salina Republican Committee. All three are running unopposed for reelection. The Salina Republican Committee’s July 2015 periodic report shows a balance of $619.55 in its accounts, including the contributions from the Clay Republican Committee ($60), the Cicero Republican Committee ($60), the Lysander Republican Committee ($60) and the Friends of Mark Nicotra ($500), as well as expenses totaling $449.60. The majority of those expenses were for marketing.
Second Ward Councilor V. James Magnarelli is also running unopposed for reelection. His campaign is funded by the Salina Democratic Committee, which filed a “No Activity Report” for July of 2015. The last report filed was in January of 2015, at which point the committee had $993.21 in its coffers and had spent a total of $80 on postage and bank fees.
Tassone massively out-fundraises challenger Foster
Meanwhile, in the Onondaga County Legislature’s Fourth District, incumbent Judy Tassone has close to $6,000 in her campaign coffers, while challenger Patrick Foster has just over $100.
Tassone, a Republican, has $5,915.27 in her campaign account, according to her July 2015 filing. She’s taken in $8,261 and spent $2,872.39 in the most recent filing period.
Major contributors to Tassone’s campaign include R.C. Congel Boat and Auto Sales in Cicero, which donated $1,000. She also has a number of smaller individual donors who have contributed $200 or less, including Destiny USA partner Bruce Kenan, who gave $175, Liverpool property owner John Gormel, who pitched in $175, and former Onondaga County Executive Nick Pirro, who donated $99.
Tassone’s husband, Bill Tassone, chair of the Salina Republican Party, has also lent her campaign $1,000.
In terms of expenses, most have been contributions to Republican Party committees, though the report also shows some contributions to other campaigns, including those of Kevin Holmquist and Chris Plochocki, and campaign fundraisers.
On the other hand, the Friends of Patrick Foster lists just $116.40 on the July periodic report. Foster, a Democrat who has launched two unsuccessful bids for Salina supervisor, listed an accrual of $0.01 in interest on the account as his only receipts for the period in question. He did not list any expenses.
Rapp’s accounts quiet
Longtime Fifth District Legislator Kathy Rapp reported $7,942.69 in her accounts for the July filing, noting no contributions and $667 in expenses.
Rapp’s expenses included contributions to the Onondaga Conservative Party, as well as the campaigns of Mark Nicotra, Paul Carey, Judy Tassone, Kevin Holmquist, Danny Liedka, Mark Venesky and Tim Burtis. She also paid $98 in postage, as well as $100 in wages to Emily Dischner.
To view campaign finance reports, visit elections.ny.gov/CFViewReports.html.
