Politics & Government

"Residents for Lower Taxes and Better Education" Continues to Outspend "Committee to Build a Better Board"

Allegheny County's Campaign Finance Reports Web page reveals fundraising differences as well.

Baldwin-Whitehall School Board candidates for the area's Nov. 8 general elections have filed their next round of financial interest statements, and election expense reports (as shown on Allegheny County's Campaign Finance Reports Web page) reveal that the "Residents for Lower Taxes and Better Education" committee continues to out-fundraise and outspend its opponents from the "Committee to Build a Better Board."

In this year's first expense report, as , the "Lower Taxes and Better Education" committee reported raising $4,000, while the "Better Board" committee reported raising $1,487.03.

This next report shows that the "Residents" committee has raised an additional $6,800 since then, while the "Better Board" committee has raised an additional $2,840.

Find out what's happening in Baldwin-Whitehallwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Each of the original members of the "Residents" committee contributed $500 toward their campaign in time for the first report and contributed another $500 each this time, with the exception of Sam DiNardo Jr., who did not add to his $500 from last time.

Current school board members George L. Pry and John B. Schmotzer both contributed another $500 this time (as they did in the last report), and board member Martin Michael Schmotzer added $1,000 in this second report only.

Find out what's happening in Baldwin-Whitehallwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The B-W Patch that Martin Schmotzer was not a contributor to the "Residents" committee, but this report confirms otherwise.

Other contributors to the "Residents" committee as listed in the second report include the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 13 and the United Steelworkers Political Action Fund  ($250 each), the Plumbers Local Union 27 Political Action Committee ($300), the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union No. 5 ($500), and the political group People for Palmiere ($1,000).

The People for Palmiere group supports the election of Baldwin Township resident and former B-W School Board member John Palmiere to  . District 6 includes the .

The "Residents" committee reported $7,654.94 in expenses this time ($3,102 in the first report), compared to $1,501.23 by the "Better Board" committee ($867.69 in their first report).

The "Residents" committee spent that $7,654.94 on postage ($4,400), printing ($2,979.46), labels ($115.52), checks ($57.96), a bank service charge ($2) and a donation to the Baldwin Borough Democratic Organization ($100).

The original "Better Board" committee members, who each contributed $200 in their first report, were off of the contributors list in the second report. The committee's $2,840 raised in this next report comes from Dolores C. Kirsch ($100)—a relative of "Better Board" committee member Richard J. Kirsch—the Political Action Committee for Education ($2,500), and an assortment of other individuals giving $50 or less per contributor ($240).

Of the $1,501.23 reported as spent by the "Better Board" committee in this second report, $623.15 of that went toward brochures and business cards, $146.17 went toward palm cards, $605.28 went toward envelopes and postage, $34.23 went toward labels, $32.40 went toward a booth for , and $60 went toward an advertisement.

The members of the  who have advanced to the Nov. 8 general elections are Kevin J. Fischer, Ray Rosing, Diana Kazour, Larry Pantuso and DiNardo.

The members who will be on the November ballot are Lora J. Kalwarski, Marion M. Shannon, Tracy Macek and Kirsch.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here