Small-business owners’ donations are a big part of keeping Khalid Bey’s campaign for Common Council District 4 running.
As of Oct. 24, contributions from 16 small businesses account for 71 percent — or $5,455—of Bey’s fundraising, according to campaign finance reports filed with the New York state board of elections.
Small-business development is one of Bey’s main platforms for the District 4 Common Council run. Bey is the Democratic candidate in the race. His opponent is Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins, who has run unsuccessfully 18 times for public office. They are vying to succeed Democrat Tom Seals, who reached his term limit of eight years on the Common Council. District 4 includes the central portion of the city including the Downtown, Brighton, Southwest, University Hill and University neighborhoods.
The District has 13,364 registered voters. Of those, 8,617 are Democrats; 1,190 are Republicans; 84 are Green Party.
The election is on Nov. 8.
In this race, as of Oct. 24, Bey had received $7,729 in donations. He’s spent $7,317 to run his campaign. Here are some highlights, from the state board of elections reports:
- Among his small-business donations are $250 each from Seamus Lyman and Guy Hart Jr., partners at a law firm in East Syracuse; and a $200 and then a $500 donation from Michael Falcone, a consultant for the Destiny USA project. A $250 donation was made in the name of Syracuse’s Ilario’s Trattoria as well.
- Contributions from unnamed donors make up of 29 percent – or $2,274 – of Bey’s campaign fundraising. State law does not require reporting the names of donors who give less than $250.
- As of Oct. 24, Bey had just over $400 on hand going into Election Day.
Since April, Bey has spent 95 percent of his funds. A good chunk of his money has gone to fundraising efforts, office supplies and literature. Some spending highlights, from the state board of elections:
- As of Oct. 24, he had spent $1,692 on fundraisers.
- Bey’s campaign spent $451 on office supplies, including cell phones.
- Literature cost about $3,007. Literature includes lawn signs, car ads and other pamphlets to promote the campaign.
(Caitlin M. Francis is a grad student in broadcast and digital journalism.)
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