These Paterson council candidates pulled in tens of thousands in campaign donations
PATERSON — Fifth Ward Councilman Luis Velez has shifted into a new gear in terms of his campaign fundraising for the city's upcoming May 14 elections.
Velez reported getting $45,520 in political donations through April 17, almost 30% more money than the combined total of what he raised in his three previous council elections. In 2012, he collected $12,505; in 2016, he received $17,465; and in 2020, he reported less than $5,100 in campaign contributions.
Velez’s surge in donations placed him second among the 21 people running in the six ward council elections, according to the first wave of campaign finance reports made public by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission.
Only Councilman Al Abdelaziz, the incumbent in the city’s 6th Ward, who is well-known for his fundraising abilities, surpassed Velez in total donations, ringing up $114,249.
Six of the 21 candidates apparently have not filed the 29-day preelection reports: incumbents Ruby Cotton, Michael Jackson and Shahin Khalique, and challengers Jeyss Abreu, Rodney Addison and William McKoy.
Five candidates filed affidavits saying they would not spend more than $5,800 on their campaigns: Ramona Blizzard, Mohammed Hossein, Mosleh Uddin, Kimmeshia Rogers-Jones and Justin Rucker.
Velez said his increased fundraising effort shows he has done a good job during his eight years in office. “That sends a message that people are supporting me and they want me in that chair,” the councilman said.
About half of Velez’s donors are people and companies outside Paterson, and they provided almost half his campaign money. He attributed the out-of-town donations to people who do business in Paterson.
Two of Velez’s opponents — Sebastian Mejia and David Soo — said the incumbent’s fundraising efforts deserve scrutiny from voters.
“When an elected official gets a lot of money, it raises questions for the public,” Soo said.
Mejia noted that the amount of money Velez has raised for the campaign almost matches his $47,395 salary as a councilman.
“What’s their interest in donating to Velez?” Mejia asked. “To some extent, you’re beholden to the people who donate to you.”
Here’s what the ELEC reports for other candidates show:
Assad Akhter, challenger in the 3rd Ward, has received $20,950 in donations.
Frank Filipelli, challenger in the 2nd Ward, reported $850 in contributions.
3rd Ward incumbent Alex Mendez put his donations at $19,659, including a $300 donation from Abdelaziz.
1st Ward challenger Fannia Santana has collected $30,743 in contributions, including $2,750 from Mayor Andre Sayegh, who badly wants her to defeat his constant critic, Councilman Michael Jackson.
6th Ward challenger Abed Thabatah has raised $4,800, or about 4% of the total that Abdelaziz, the incumbent, has collected.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paterson council candidates pull in thousands in campaign money
