MISSION VIEJO : Candidates Put Up Own Cash for Much of Campaigns

City Council candidates have so far reached deeply into their own pockets to fund their campaigns, according to candidate finance statements released last week.

The biggest self-borrower: Larry Gilbert has loaned his campaign $6,450. He has vowed not to take contributions.

Personal loans accounted for more than half of the campaign war chests reported by five of the seven candidates running for three open council seats in the November city election. Only Mayor Susan Withrow is seeking reelection.

None of the $2,201 raised by Withrow came from her personal assets, although she loaned her campaign about $40,000 in 1990. Tom Potocki loaned himself $2,871 of the $6,381 in his campaign bank account.

Sherri Butterfield wrote checks totaling $5,531 of her $6,052 campaign balance. Larry Smith lent his campaign $3,000 of the $3,300 he has raised. Karen Irvine reported $1,003 of her $1,353 campaign total came from her husband, Bill Irvine. The entire $1,950 raised by Neil Lonzinger came from a self-loan.

Withrow has by far raised the most money, listing $13,288 in her campaign account.

Families for a Quality Mission Viejo, a political action committee supporting Withrow and Butterfield, raised $3,609. Otherwise, the most active contributor to council campaigns has been two trash companies and an ambulance firm.

Medix Ambulance Service, which was recently awarded the city ambulance franchise, gave $1,000 each to Families for a Quality Mission Viejo and Butterfield.

Waste hauler Browning Ferris Inc. gave $500 each to Families for a Quality Mission Viejo and Butterfield. The current city franchise, Waste Management, gave $500 each to Withrow and the Families for a Quality Mission Viejo.

The city waste hauling contract will expire next year.