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Sanchez Takes Lead in Early Fund-Raising

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

Corinne Sanchez got out to a fast start and led the field in fund-raising for her campaign in the 7th District City Council seat, taking in $24,500 by Dec. 31, when most other candidates had still not yet declared.

Alex Padilla, another top contender, raised about $9,256 last year for the race to represent the northeast San Fernando Valley council seat, campaign officials said.

The only other candidate who filed papers with the Ethics Commission early Monday to report fund-raising was Tony Lopez, the district director of Boy Scouts of America, who reported raising $1,100 by Dec. 31, including $600 from himself.

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The early fund-raising lead could solidify the front-runner status shared by Sanchez, who has the endorsement of former 7th District Councilman Richard Alarcon, and Padilla, who has the endorsement of northeast Valley Assemblyman Tony Cardenas (D-Sylmar).

“Fund-raising is important,” said Parke Skelton, a campaign consultant for Sanchez. “She’s doing remarkably well. It speaks very highly of how she’s respected in the community.”

The April 13 election for the seat representing the northeast San Fernando Valley will fill a vacancy caused by the election of Alarcon to the state Senate.

Sanchez, the president of El Proyecto del Barrio, reported raising $24,500, including a $1,700 loan from herself, and contributions from at least 52 individuals, including attorneys, teachers, principals and accountants.

She also received $1,100 from employees of the health services charity she runs. Since Dec. 31, Sanchez has added about $40,000 more to her campaign war chest, Skelton said.

Padilla, who has taken a leave of absence as an aide to Cardenas, reported raising $9,256 by Dec. 31, but has since raised another $40,000, said Rick Taylor, a campaign advisor for Padilla.

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Padilla and Sanchez have both said they hope to raise the maximum $330,000 allowed by the Ethics Commission for candidates accepting matching funds.

Former San Fernando Mayor Raul Godinez II said he did not raise any money in December because he had not yet declared his candidacy, but he said fund-raising will be important in the race, which has 10 declared candidates.

“I realize we announced a little late, but we’re going to make that up real quick,” said Godinez, who said he raised $25,000 last month for the race.

Godinez has taken a leave of absence from his job as a city engineer to devote full time to the campaign and hopes to raise $150,000 for the primary contest.

“If you can’t raise $100,000, you are not going to be a player,” Godinez said.

Ollie McCaulley, another candidate, said he has raised about $4,600, but has been concentrating on petitions, not fund-raising. To qualify for the ballot, all candidates must submit nominating petitions with signatures of at least 500 registered voters from the district.

McCaulley and Lopez have filed their petitions.

“You can raise a ton of money, but what good is it if you don’t qualify?” asked McCaulley, a government relations director who failed to get enough signatures during a previous contest against Alarcon for the council seat.

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Barbara Perkins, a Mission College executive, reported raising $275 through Dec. 31.

Other candidates did not file with the Ethics Commission by Monday’s deadline, which might mean that they did not raise any funds until after Dec. 31.

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