3 Glendale City Council Winners Were Also the Biggest Spenders

The top vote-getter in the April City Council election in Glendale also has emerged as the top fund-raiser and spender.

Final campaign disclosure statements filed with the city clerk last week show that Councilwoman Ginger Bremberg far outpaced all other candidates by raising $21,048 and spending $18,250 in her successful bid for a second term.

The next two highest spenders, who also emerged victorious in the election, were Councilmen John F. Day and Carl Raggio. Each reported spending about $11,500 on the campaigns.

One Late Report

Day was second highest in money raised, with $14,875 in contributions for his reelection to a third term. Raggio, who won his first term in April, raised $13,603--at least six times the amount contributed to the three other non-incumbents, who each raised $2,000 or less.

The reporting period for campaign contributions ended May 30 and candidates were required to file final reports by June 6. The only candidate who failed to meet the deadline was Lynn McGinnis, who ran unsuccessfully for city treasurer.

McGinnis filed a late report Tuesday and may be subject to a late filing fee of $10 a day, according to the city clerk’s office.

Spending in the April 2 election was relatively low contrasted with to previous council elections. Builder James G. Pollard was defeated in his 1981 bid for office even though he raised almost $30,000, reportedly the most ever raised in a campaign for city office in Glendale. Former Councilman Carl Meseck, who raised more than $25,000 in his successful 1979 campaign, was defeated for a fourth term in 1983, when he had called for a limit on contributions.

Bremberg said she conducted her campaign exactly the same as she did in 1981, when she raised and spent about $14,000. She attributed the increase in spending this year to a 40% increase in the costs of advertising and printing.

Bremberg’s campaign spending amounted to $2.46 for each of the 7,410 ballots cast in her favor in an election that drew a 15.1% voter turnout. Bremberg spent most of her campaign funds on newspaper advertising and mailings. She finished the race with almost $1,500 in surplus funds.

City employee groups, development and business-interest groups were the largest contributors to campaigns. Firefighters for Better Representative Government of Glendale, the firemen’s union political action committee, contributed $4,000 each to Bremberg and Day. Firefighters also contributed $2,000 to Raggio, a former president of the Glendale Board of Education who won the seat vacated by retired Mayor Carroll Parcher.

The Glendale City Employees Assn. contributed $700 to Bremberg’s campaign and $200 to Raggio. The employee group did not contribute to Day’s campaign, according to reports filed by Day’s campaign treasurer.

$500 From Glenpac

Glenpac, a political action committee representing local business owners, contributed $2,000 to Raggio, former chairman of the Verdugo Private Industry Council, an organization that works with businessmen to develop federally funded job-training programs. Raggio resigned from the Private Industry Council after the election. Glenpac also contributed $1,000 each to Bremberg and Day.

The only other council candidate who received a major contribution from an organization was Mark A. Doyle, who got $500 from Glenpac. Doyle, a veteran Glendale Community College professor, finished fourth in the race for three seats.

Other major contributors to winners’ campaigns were the Glendale Building Industry Assn. and the Armenian National Committee in Glendale, $500 each to each council candidate; Glendale Medical Arts Center Ltd., $400 to Raggio; Conrad’s Restaurant, $500 each to Bremberg and Day; and Forest Lawn Memorial Park, $350 each to Day, Bremberg and Raggio.

Another recipient of a political-group contribution was Elizabeth Evans, who was elected city treasurer, a post to which she was appointed by the City Council last fall. Evans received $500 each from Glenpac and Glenfed Development Corp. of Encino. She spent $1,351 and ended the campaign with a $205 surplus.

Largest Contributor

McGinnis, a banker who trailed Evans by 1,188 votes for the city treasurer’s post, reported raising $5,700 in contributions, including some large sums from out-of-town financial corporations and significantly more than his successful opponent. He spent almost $4,000 on campaign literature.

The largest individual contributor to a campaign, according to the candidates’ reports, was Richard Stevens, a Glendale consultant on waste management. Stevens contributed $1,010 to Bremberg, including $510 several days after the election. He did not donate to other campaigns.

Bremberg described Stevens as “a very dear friend” who lives near her in Chevy Chase Canyon and is active on her campaign committee.

Another large contributor was Arthur Segien, an outspoken critic of proposed downzoning in neighborhoods adjoining car dealerships in South Glendale, who contributed $1,000 to Day’s campaign. Day has repeatedly but unsuccessfully sought to block the city’s massive rezoning study.

Doyle spent more than $3,400 in his campaign--much of it his own money--and ended up in fourth place with 5,160 votes. He raised almost $2,000, mostly contributions of less than $100 each.

William Mulvihill, a high school teacher who got 3,083 votes, reported spending less than $500 on his campaign.

Also left with a deficit was Larry Lousen of La Canada, a 33-year-old graphic artist who came in last, with 2,757 votes. Lousen reported spending mostly his own money in his $2,500 campaign.