Candidates rake in cash, especially incumbents

With Election Day less than a week away, city candidates throughout the Salt Lake Valley are raking in -- and forking out -- campaign cash.

In Sandy, four-term Mayor Tom Dolan has raised $119,802, dwarfing his opponent's $2,340 piggy bank by 51-1, according to financial disclosures due Tuesday.

"Most of [Dolan's] donors could have financed my whole thing," said Dave Perry, who hopes to oust the mayor on Tuesday. He supports limiting the mayor's job to two terms, partly to avoid the financial prowess that longtime officials can amass.

In West Jordan, which has about 4,000 more people than Sandy, the spending is not nearly as high as Dolan's to fill an open mayor's seat left by retiring Mayor David Newton. Candidates Irene Casper and City Councilwoman Melissa Johnson both have raised around $5,000. Casper's most generous backer was Republican state Sen. Chris Buttars, giving $1,232. Besides her own infusion of $1,500, Johnson's largest contribution was $1,095 from the Salt Lake Board of Realtors.

Holladay City Councilman Barry Topham has pledged not to accept any donations in his campaign for mayor. Financial disclosures show he kept his promise. He has raised no money and spent $6,892 of his own money. Mayor Dennis Webb has gathered $32,043, including $7,990 from his own wallet.

In South Jordan, challenger Aaron Osmond aims to give Mayor Kent Money a run for his, well, money. Osmond, a nephew of entertainers Donny and Marie,

has maintained a funding lead over the two-term mayor.

But Money has narrowed the gap since a September report that showed his fundraising had totalled zero. As of Tuesday, Money had collected $9,801 to Osmond's $13,543.

Many of Dolan's backers gave $1,000 or more. Large contributors include Boyer Quarry Bend ($5,000), developer of the gravel pit that nearly cost Dolan his election in 2005; Larry H. Miller Companies ($2,500); developer Dell Loy Hansen ($4,000); Salt Lake County Councilman Randy Horiuchi's Horiuchi & Associates ($1,500); and Gold Cross ambulance ($6,500), which provides inter-hospital transport in Sandy.

After Dolan helped snag $45 million in public funding for Real Salt Lake's $110 million Sandy stadium, the team chipped in for his re-election. RSL owner Dave Checketts and president Bill Manning each kicked in $1,000. Another $1,000 came from Utah Soccer, the business name for the stadium, and RSL coach Jason Kreis gave $250.

"They're pleased with the job I'm doing as mayor," Dolan said.

Most of Perry's support came from his own pocket, family and the Salt Lake County Constitution Party, to which he belongs. Dolan said he thought Perry would be able to gather more cash.

"It was a close election," in 2005, Dolan said. "We thought we really needed to communicate with the residents of Sandy what our record is and what we plan to do in the future."

rwinters@sltrib.com