Coral Gables candidates raise more than $630,000 so far for April election

Coral Gables Mayor Jim Cason has pulled ahead of City Commission candidate Vince Lago as the top campaign fundraiser going into the city’s April 9 election.

Until the latest report, covering the period March 2-13 and filed on March 22, Lago, who is running for the Group 2 seat vacated by Ralph Cabrera, had led all candidates in fund raising.

Cason has now raised $142,275 for his re-election bid. His total includes $23,545 that has come in during the two week filing period.

Lago, an executive with BDI Construction and Design, added $17,245 in the period to bring his total to $141,798. Some of his competitors have complained that he has received many $500 maximum contribution checks from individuals in real estate and development. Lago says that his company does work for schools and private institutions and that he is not a developer.

“When I announced [I was running] I got contributions from all over the state from friends and family,” he said. “I was taught at a young age I need to stand on my own two feet, something my father has done. That last thing I would ever do is compromise my values and integrity.”

As an incumbent in only his second political race, Cason, a retired U.S. Foreign Service Officer, said raising funds is an adjustment he had to make.

“I’m the only ambassador in the U.S. that’s a mayor. That’s unusual, and fun. But work has to be done and I like what I’m doing and I’m doing things I’ve never had to do before, like raising money, but I’m happy,” Cason said.

His challenger, Ralph Cabrera, president of the insurance firm Cabrera Benefits Group, is third in terms of fundraising but he had the most active March period. His new addition of $33,625, which includes monies raised at a fundraiser at the Biltmore hosted by Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez, brings his total to $114,315.

“What drives me is that I’m a product of this community,” Cabrera said about his race for the mayor’s seat. He was first elected to the commission in 2001, along with Maria Anderson. Both were term-limited and had their final regular commission meeting Tuesday. Anderson is not running for office.

Commission seats

In addition to Lago, two other candidates are running for the Group 2 seat.

Marlin Ebbert, a retired teacher and longtime civic and arts volunteer, reported $10,960 which includes a $10,000 loan to herself. Ebbert has capped all donations at $100 or less.

“All my adult life I’ve been asking money for schools or old houses, but I have a hard time asking for money for myself,” she said. “I feel very strongly we must, as a community and as a country start to take money out of politics.”

Ebbert has $33,805 in total.

Ross Hancock, a communications director for the non-profit American Welding Society, similarly has raised the issue of campaign financing and has added $1,050 this period for a total of $2,605.

“For too long all the political decisions in the South Florida area have been unduly influenced by the financial involvement of lobbyists and special interests and developers,” Hancock said. “You can see the corrupting influence of special interests on local politics.”

Five candidates are running for Anderson’s Group 3 seat.

Jackson Rip Holmes, a real estate broker, received $300 in the period to bring his total to $850. Holmes ran for a seat in the 2011 election, losing to Frank Quesada.

Patricia Keon, who served on the Coral Gables Planning and Zoning Board and has been a longtime civic volunteer, added $3,950 to her total of $76,400.

Phillip (P.J.) Mitchell, a partner with Mitchell & West, reports $1,480 in the period. His total is $40,780.

Tony Newell, vice president of operations at Hammer Construction Corp., reported $1,675 to bring his total to $14,375.

Mary Young, director of the University of Miami School of Business Administration’s Ziff Graduate Career Services Center, received $9,250 in donations, the most for the period in her group race. She has now raised $66,143.

Candidates must report contributions and expenditures again on April 5, four days prior to the election.

The 10 candidates have now raised $633,346 for this election.

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