News Bulletin (Castroville, Tex.), Vol. 42, No. 46, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 16, 2000 Page: 4 of 16
sixteen pages : ill. ; page 23 x 15 in. Scanned from physical pages.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Page 4 News Bulletin Thursday, November 16, 2000
Local campaigns cost more than the average voter realizes
Julie Dunnavant
Staff Writer
Many people run for elected
time candidate. $5,000 if the competition isn’t
“It a huge amount of hot.
money,” Stevenson said. “What
positions to make a change in people discount is the amount
their government and serve
their neighbors but running a
campaign can costs thousands
in personal money.
Bill Stevenson, one of the
founders in the Medina County
Republican Club, tried to beat
incumbent Stanley Keller Jr. in
the Precinct 2 commissioner’s
race two years ago.
Stevenson said he
ran the race on
$1,500 and didn’t
have enough money
at the end when he
needed it most.
“I was under fund-
ed,” Stevenson said.
“It’s the hidden costs
that eat you alive.”
County precincts
are divided not geo-
graphically, but by
head count so a campaign in
each would cost differing
amounts.
of gas you use campaigning.”
Montgomery doesn’t ask for
donations.
“You don’t get a lot of help
In six months, running signs from the party,” Montgomery
from Mico to Lytle, he spent said. “Of course, I didn’t ask for
approximately $1,000. anything. You’ve got to run on
“There is also a point where a ticket with a party affiliation,
you can have too much but I feel like I’m an indepen-
money,” he said. “A point dent person. It goes against my
where you could put a sign in
everyone’s yard and still have
funds left
grain to take any money; this is
my race between me and the
66
It goes against my
grain to take any
money; this is my
people of this
county.”
know what it costs,” she said, campaigner was forced to the party and voters.
“I’ve been very fortunate, solicit contributions both from
Usually if you’re doing a good
job, the public knows it. At the
local level change isn’t always
best. It takes two years to train
someone coming into a posi-
tion. It’s hard on everyone.”
In Precinct 1, she said, this
is the first time in 12 years
they’ve had the same candi-
date in office for a second
term.
When she first ran for the
office, she took the last two
race between me and the
people of this
county.
County Judge
David Montgomery
Montgomery weeks and campaigned daily,
doesn’t seek con- going door to door,
tributions from Moos also saves her signs,
citizens. “The plastic coated ones
He said contri- don’t deteriorate as badly as
butions in county the plywood and they’re
@ @ races are
/ / between
$100.
usually cheaper,” she said.
$20-
“You’re almost
She also saved money by
buying her signs in bulk.
“It’s more cost effective if
comparing apples you go for 250 right off the
and oranges by
over.” looking at the
County Judge David costs of different races,” the
Montgomery, a Democrat, is in judge said.
“Principally you spend your his sixth year and second term;
Newly elected Precinct 1
money on signs,” Stevenson
said. “Precinct 1 is two times
as large as Precinct 2; I would
imagine it would cost almost
twice as much to run a cam-
paign there.”
Stevenson estimated he
spent $1,200 of his own money
and raised $350-$400 in con-
tributions to his campaign.
before winning the judge’s seat Constable Darryl Boettcher
bat,” she said.
Moos does not ask for con-
tributions in her campaigns.
“One year I got $25 and the
next I got $10,” Moos said. “I
didn’t seek them and the party
he was a county commission- said he didn’t ask for anything doesn’t give me anything. I
er. from the party or contributors don’t want to owe anyone any-
“A lot of costs just depend because he didn’t want to feel thing.”
on the race and if you have an
opponent,” Montgomery said.
“You tend to spend more when
you do.”
Many candidates who hold
office for more than one term
as though he owed anyone. Moos said a campaign
Boettcher said his main could be run like that on the
expenses came in the primary local level but a state level
Sheriff-elect Gilbert Rodriguez is congratulated on election
night. (Photo by Adelina Gonzales)
1
“I was short of signs at the recycle their signs, adding “re”
with sign purchases.
Rita Moos has been county
treasurer since 1979 and twice
has faced an opponent at the
end,” he said. ““If I had $2,000 I
could have run comfortably.”
Extrapolating that out to a
county elected position, he
estimated a campaign would
need $8,000- $9,000 for a first
to the elect portion for the sec- polls.
ond term campaign. Her filing fee for the job is
Montgomery estimated he $600 and when she has com-
spent $3,000 in his bids for petition, Moos has spent up to
office and placed a countywide $2,500.
MARY MARGARET & ELLIS BURGES
Texas Certified Nurserymen
MEDINA VALLEY GREENHOUSES
"Everything From Cactus To Orchids'
Wholesale Retail
At Castroville, "The Little Alsace of Texas"
(830) 931-2298
1151 CR 477 • P.O. Box 504 • Castroville, TX 78009
Rare Euphorbias, Hoyas, Bromeliads, Concrete Art
Bonsais, Topiaries
See Our Plant-Covered Rock Wall
vary camenoums I
*****
race at costing approximately
“The average person doesn’t
ALL CLEARANCE
Recliners
Many styles, colors,
fabric & leather
2$238 • $318
H*348 • $448
Dining & Dinette Sets
5 pc. sets & 7 psc. sets
Oak, Natural,
Maple
B • $398
48 •*848
pl
Sofas • Sleepers
Sofa & Loveseaf
Many styles, colors, fabric & leather
$478 • $548 • *698 • $895
Queen Bedding Sets
Firm, Plush, Extra Firm, Super Plush
$318 • $348 • $498 • $598
Art for ilustration purposes only
TOWNE & COUNTRY FURNITURE
426-3007
Hwy 90 & Ave. M
Hondo
John Deere Tractor with Front End Loader
and Many Attachments
We’re Now Stocking
Cutter 5.6 87 Rear Blade - Box Blades
WOODS Loaders
For any Tractor
Call Frankie for more details
WOODS
Saturday, November 18,2000
Chilton Vance
& The ,
Texas Connection
9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.
Totally Air- conditioned*$5 Cover
(COUNTRY GOLD
: 7405 PEARSALL RD..
.... 623-1760:
Need cash
for the
Frankie
■ Kauffmann
HONDO AG Supply, Inc.
313 US Hwy 90 E. • Hondo • (830) 426-4306
Cornell
Sasthoff
Why do
business
with
strangers.
holidays?
At Castroville State Bank you’ll always be
greeted by friendly hometown faces.
e* A 1 ft *
as low as
a sin
tonMpaIRgnE
Call Now! 931-2201
• W.A.C., minimum $2,500 for best rate
News Bulletin advertising:
We can build your business!
S Castroville State Bank A
Member
FDIC 502 Paris St. Castroville • www.castrovillestatebank.com "
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Barnes, Thomas. News Bulletin (Castroville, Tex.), Vol. 42, No. 46, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 16, 2000, newspaper, November 16, 2000; Castroville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1689379/m1/4/: accessed August 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Castroville Public Library.