Financial support for 10-1 council elections far outstrip dollars donated for 8-2-1 hybrid
Austinites for Geographic Representation (AGR), proponents of Proposition 3’s 10-1 plan for electing council members, continues its lopsided advantage in fundraising compared with Austin Community for Change (AC4C), which is backing the 8-2-1 hybrid plan for electing council members.
Through the previous reporting period that ended September 29, AGR had raised a total of $69,793. That’s 15 times the $4,592 raised by AC4C.
Today’s reports indicated that AGR raised an additional $54,058, bringing its total to date to $123,851. AGR still has $13,856 left on hand for the sprint to the finish.
AC4C’s latest report indicates the 8-2-1 hybrid plan backers raised $14,600, bringing its total to date to $19,192. AC4C still had $1,227 on hand through today’s report.
AC4C treasurer Richard Jung, an attorney with Jung Ko PLLC, did not return two calls for comment.

AGR’s volunteer political consultant, Peck Young, said of the fundraising, “I was hoping for a lot more, but we did okay. I would have liked to gotten us on television but TV’s too damned expensive.”
Young said close to 90 percent of the 150,000 door hangars the group bought have been distributed to residences all over town, and a paid crew will sweep through to complete areas that didn’t get covered.
The 50 large campaign signs have been put up and most of the yard signs have been distributed.
A mailer will be sent tomorrow to about 30,000 of the people who signed AGR’s petition to get the 10-1 plan on the ballot, Young said, and phone banks that have been up and running will continue right up to election day.
“We will have newspaper ads in all the small papers and weeklies all over town this week,” Young said. “We will be in The Daily Texan for the first time this week.”
Major campaign donors
AC4C’s biggest donations came from Stratus Properties, $7,000; ABCABCO Inc. (Austin Cab Company) $2,000; Richard Jung $3,000 (a loan); the Linebarger Goggan law firm, $1,000; and Mary Sangar $1,000.
AGR’s top contributors include environmental activist Kirk Mitchell, $20,000 (a challenge grant that AGR matched); Home PAC Corporate, $15,000; Brandywine Partnership LP of Radnor, Pennsylvania (a real estate investment trust that manages commercial real estate in Austin and elsewhere) $5,000; Texas Association of Builders, $5,000; Texans for Accountable Government, $2.000; and MMK Holdings LP (Planet K), $1,000.
AGR also received donations of $500 apiece from David Albert, an adjunct associate professor with Austin Community College; transportation activist Roger Baker, and attorney Fred Lewis of Texans Together.
To access Austin Community for Change campaign finance reports, click on these links:
Austin Community for Change Campaign Finance Report Oct. 10, 2012
Austin Community for Change Campaign Finance Report Amendment Oct. 11, 2012
Austin Community for Change Campaign Finance Report Amendment Oct. 29, 2012
To access Austinites for Geographic Representation campaign reports, click on these links:
Austinites for Geographic Representation Campaign Finance Report of July 6, 2012
Austinites for Geographic Representation Campaign Finance Report Oct. 9, 2012
Austinites for Geographic Representation Campaign Finance Report Oct. 29, 2012
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Related Bulldog coverage: This is The Austin Bulldog’s 36th article covering issues and activities pertaining to proposed changes to the Austin City Charter.
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