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Big-Name Support Not Saving Parks in the Polls |
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Politics
By Betty Pleasant (Published first in Soulvine in the WAVE Newspapers.)
According to the latest poll on the 2nd District supervisorial race, state Sen. Mark Ridley-Thomas is way ahead of Councilman Bernard Parks, despite Parks’ highly touted support from Supervisor Yvonne Burke, Rep. Maxine Waters and businessman Magic Johnson. In fact, the endorsement of these three seem to be hurting Parks, as the councilman’s negatives have risen significantly since the primary to 27 percent overall and to 32 percent among likely votes.
The Feldman Group surveyed 800 likely voters July 23-27 and found that Ridley-Thomas is leading Parks, 51 percent to 35 percent. “Ridley-Thomas even holds up his lead when voters (including African-Americans) are informed that Burke, Waters and Johnson support Parks instead, and when the attacks on Ridley-Thomas from the primary are repeated,” wrote Steve Barken of SG&A Campaigns in his report on the latest poll. “Almost all voters are familiar with Parks, but they choose Ridley-Thomas in a head-to-head vote anyway,” Barken wrote.
Ridley-Thomas not only leads in votes, but leads in money raised. The candidates’ latest financial reports show that the senator has out raised Parks in campaign funds by 48 percent and that the councilman is buried in $432,704 in debt, including $367,733 in unpaid bills.
According to Schedule F (Unpaid Bills) reported by the county-recorder/county clerk, as of June 30, Parks owes more than $100,000 to two different vendors, including his campaign consultant, John Shallman, to whom he owes $131,130. He also owes $10,000 to the voter survey firm of Fairbanks, Maslin, Maulin & Associates, whose work obviously delivered bad news, $3,000 to Councilman Herb Wesson and $72.05 to Herb’s son, Justin Wesson, for consulting services and he even owes his wife, Bobbie Parks, $172.16 for something. It seems Bobbie Parks became so upset by the pile of unpaid bills that she put on her CPA hat, went to the headquarters and personally audited the campaign books.
Angry campaign workers said that when she concluded her audit, she bellowed at them”: “Who took my husband’s money?!”
In all fairness, I must report that while Ridley-Thomas has more cash on hand than debt, he only has $21,044.75 in the bank. (Read more Betty Pleasant Soulvine and Bottomline at www.wavenewspapers.com .) ◘
CityWatch
Vol 6 Issue 64
Pub: Aug 8, 2008
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