Pre-primary campaign finance reports were due at 12:00N yesterday (Monday, April 22nd) for all candidates in the upcoming May 7th primary election. These reports are to cover all income and expenditures for each candidate’s campaign from January 1st through April 12th of this year.
It is important to note that campaign donors are free to contribute to the campaigns and causes of their choice, up to the statutory limits set forth. What these campaign finance reports do is add a measure of transparency to see where the money is coming from and going to in the funding and operation of each candidate’s campaign.
Let’s take a peak and see who some of the largest donors are — ask yourself what each of these donors likely expect in return for the amount(s) donated to a particular candidate. You can look at each of these reports for yourself by going to the Hamilton County Elections campaign finance page at https://secure2.hamiltoncounty.in.gov/CampaignFinance. Reports are filed alphabetically by the last name of the candidate. The current reports will have ‘CFA-4, 2019 Pre-Primary Redacted‘ in the report name.
Probably to no surprise to any Carmel voter that has been paying attention, Pedcor Companies, its subsidiaries and principals contributed a whopping $31,000 to the campaigns of Jim Brainard-aligned incumbents, plus an additional $2500 to the campaign of Brainard-aligned newcomer Adam Aasen. This, of course, pales in comparison to the tens of millions of dollars funneled to Pedcor by the City of Carmel and the Carmel Redevelopment Commission through an assortment of TIF-financed projects in the City Center and Midtown areas. It is likely seen as a cost of doing business as far as Pedcor is concerned.
It is Pedcor’s donation to the Aasen campaign that is more curious, given that there are no current or announced development projects within the Southeast District that Pedcor or any of its subsidiaries are known to be connected to. Perhaps, the strategy is for Pedcor to attempt to secure another reliable vote on the council?
Compared to Pedcor, other influential donors pale in comparison. Of note is the Indianapolis-based MIBOR PAC — a political action arm of the regional real estate network. MIBOR PAC is listed for $11,300 in donations to these same Brainard-aligned candidates through April 12th.
Another significant donor to the campaigns of Brainard-aligned candidates is Blackwell Park Development Partners, LLC and its affiliated entities Old Town Companies, LLC and Old Town Design Group, LLC, who made almost $5600 in donations to the campaigns of Brainard-aligned candidates.
To be sure, there are some other individuals and organizations with deep pockets that exercise their constitutional rights to back certain candidates with very large sums. 24 years in office has earned Jim Brainard at least one donation of $20,000 from an Indianapolis-area PAC and a $15,000 donation from an out-of-state supporter — plus numerous smaller donations.
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s for challengers? Not much to report. As is typical of a self-repeating cycle in which incumbency breeds name familiarity with voters, challengers have fresh ideas and enthusiasm to serve. Yet, they lack the extensive fundraising networks that the incumbents simply tap into. Politics is an expense sport and often favors those with the deepest donor networks.
However, one thing that neither candidates nor their donors can buy is your vote. It is yours. it is your tool to choose those candidates that are best aligned with your preference for how Carmel is governed and managed in the next four-year cycle.
Ask the hard questions. Look at the reports and follow the money. Then cast an informed vote on May 7th.
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