Today, the Omaha World-Herald reported on the 2004 fundraising reports for Mayor Mike Fahey and his challenger in the upcoming election Dave Friend.
Here are some highlights:
Friend released his 2004 fund-raising report Monday, showing he has $31,724 cash on hand. Fahey has $593,589 on hand.
Friend’s campaign raised $86,105 in cash last year and spent $54,380.
If you’re a Republican, those numbers must be extremely depressing. If these numbers don’t make any sense to you, let me compare them to some other fundraising figures. Notably, the race for Omaha City Council District 3 between Anne Boyle and Jim Vokal. The World-Herald also reported those figures.
Incumbent Jim Vokal had $38,194 in the bank at the start of 2004 and he raised another $60,534. After expenditures, he has $82,009 on hand.
Meanwhile, challenger Anne Boyle outpaced Vokal in 2004 fund raising. She released her report Monday showing she raised $96,632 last year. After expenditures, she has $91,333 in the bank.
Remember, these two are running for a City Council seat and they have raised just as much money as Dave Friend. Either Dave Friend is a terrible fundraiser or the Republican Party has given up on him.
Friend must think that he is going to win because of that smashing sign he has posted next to Planned Parenthood. (Remember - God/the religious right/crazy homeless people are on his side. He doesn’t need much more!) Who needs ‘Friend’s when you’ve got ‘Fahey’s…
… ok so it made more sense in my head.
And Way To Go Anne! This is going to be a tough race, but I think she’s gonna pull it off! And then we can convince her to have the winner’s party at her loft! PS Anne and I are best friends and I go to her loft all the time. (wait… was that too pathetically needy?)
Personally, I don’t think the cash on hand will make or break it for Fahey (for now at least.)
If you haven’t heard, the City Council passed a partial ban on smoking. (There are many loopholes and exemptions, though.) What Fahey does with it could help or hurt him.
I’ve heard from a lot of people, and many of them don’t want the ban, period. If Fahey makes the ban law, well, this will hurt him politically, most likely giving Friend an edge. If he vetos it completely, he’d probably win re-election.
But, that’s what I think, reagardless of my Republican afiliation.
its looking like he will veto it
im still undecided on the issue, i would like to be in a smoke free environment, but for all of you that were at the meeting with kraft, ive read other statistics that dont agree with his. I think he glossed over some facts about economies in other cities. I read that some cities see a huge drop in patronage at bars and restaurants, needless to say there are major pros and major cons
The facts don’t lie…Kraft’s statistics were true actually. As 80% of the population doesn’t smoke, it is this majority’s increased patronage that would make up for the decline in receipts from smokers. Bans in 7 states have been passed (including bars) and dozens of municpalities. More are being deliberated as I type this. It’s a wave people…Omaha can either be at the forefront (i.e. progressive) or a holdout.
On a personal note, everyone I’ve spoken with about this is enthusiastic about it…including a couple smokers who were able to finally kick the habit after they snuffed it out where I’m from: Minneapolis. They didn’t have the temptation anymore whenever they went out…and are healthier because of it, not to mention a little richer (The average smoker spends $1000/year on their habit. ;o)
And I congratulate those you have talked to who have kicked the habit. It’s a tough thing to do. (I really wouldn’t know, since I don’t smoke. But I hear it’s a tough habit to break.)
And, looking at it, this is actually a compromise. For those who want the ban, they’ve got it, and for those who never wanted one in the first place, there are many exemptions/loopholes that will allow them to smoke. (For those that do.)
Like I said, I don’t smoke, nor do I plan to in the future. So, I’m technically neutral on the issue. But, and I’m still going to say this, what Fahey does with this ban could make or break him.
I don’t think the smoking ban issue will be as big as an issue as you guys do. It would be helpful if Dave Friend would actually take a position on the subject. Currently, he is straddeling both sides of the issues.
If you remember, Linocln passed a full smoking-ban pretty easily. So, one could make the case that getting a full smoking ban implemented would help Mayor Fahey not hurt him.
Also, Fahey supports a full-ban. The partial ban is unfair to businesses and Fahey knows that. Most businesses would take a full ban over a partial ban any day of the week.
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1636&u_sid=1319138
“Mayor Mike Fahey certainly wasn’t happy with it. He plans to kill the measure with a veto because it gives unequal treatment for local establishments.
Bar and restaurant owners criticized the measure for the same reason.
Even anti-smoking activists said that the ban was so watered down, they will be glad to see Fahey veto it. “
I think a smoking ban would be great. I smoke every once in a while and I am a firm believer that my rights end where you begin. It has been proven that second hand smoke is terrible for people and if it hurts them then i think smokers shouldn’t be able to smoke around people who don’t want it. Guys from Lincoln have told that they love going to the bars now because when the come out they don’t smell horrid.
Wasn’t this post about number? I hate numbers. It’s good peopel are talking about smoking instead of doing it. Let’s talk more about numbers.
I’m going to give Friend a dollar, but that’s about all I can spend on him. I might go to the dollar store and buy him a present. Hmmm….what will I get him?