Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm
Reporter – News Analyst
July 19, 2016 1:00 a.m.
As of this writing almost half a million dollars in money ($421,739.77) and in-kind contributions ($26,238.05) have been pumped into Nassau County 2016 races. That equates to $7.54 per registered voter. To date, candidates have listed expenditures totaling $215,637.02.
Of the money raised so far, the lion’s share has been contributed to the School Superintendent race: $164,758 (39 percent of total contributions). The race for Nassau County Commission, District 5, has captured the second highest amount: $97,478, or 23 percent of the total. Third place in fundraising is the Nassau County Commission District 3 race with $53,188 (13 percent of the total). All other races have raised less than $30,000, well below the ten percent mark. More detail on the top three money races may be found below.
School Superintendent race
According to the last report filed covering all campaign contributions through June 2016, the two Nassau County Republicans competing for this position have collected $100,501 (Janet Adkins) and $61,606.89 (Kathy Burns). All this money is being collected to secure a position whose current annual salary is $110,784.
As of July 15, 2016, 88 percent of the contributions to Kathy Burns campaign ($58,974) have come from Nassau County donors. The situation with Janet Adkins is the reverse, with 73 percent of her contributions ($76,025) coming from outside Nassau County.
During the June reporting period, Adkins added $5,225 to her war chest, $4,000 of which was a check she wrote to her own campaign. There were 10 additional individual contributions including a $500 contribution from Kraft Foods in El Paso, TX and $200 from a lawyer in Boynton Beach, FL. The remaining 8 contributions came from Nassau County donors.
During that same June period, Burns reported an additional 27 cash contributions totaling $4,450. All but three of these donations came from Nassau County. There were two $500 contributions, one from Callahan Pharmacy and one from the North Florida Labor Council in Jacksonville. Other out-of-county support came from Ellen Ryan (Jacksonville), $100; and Emory Knight (Brunswick, GA), $200.
Only registered Republicans can vote in this race on August 30.
Nassau County Commission, District 5
Unlike the School Superintendent race, which pits two Republicans against each other as the primary contestants, the District 5 County Commission race has had as many as seven people competing for the seat: 5 Republicans, one unaffiliated and now a write-in candidate. While three of the candidates have withdrawn, one write in candidate (Dan Tanner) remains, meaning that the final outcome of the race will be left until the November 8 General Election, unless the write in candidate withdraws before then.
Three Republicans are duking it out in the August primary. Only registered Republicans can vote in this contest. Their total contributions: Klynt Farmer ($13,095); Justin Taylor ($29,840); and Joe Zimmerman ($52,393).
Among his contributions, Farmer lists a loan of $500 to his campaign, and a $500 contribution from the North Florida Labor Council. He also lists two $1,000 contributions: one from Kenneth Farmer and one from Thomas Brown (Jacksonville). Farmer lists 9 additional contributions in the $500-$1,000 range.
Justin Taylor lists seven $1,000 contributions: Mark Adams, American General Properties, Brenda McGowan, First Coast Conservatives, Florida Professional Firefighters, W.R. Howell and Matovina & Company. He has also received $750 from Nassau County Fire Rescue Professionals. Taylor lists an additional 25 contributions between $500-$1,000.
Zimmerman’s totals are somewhat misleading since more than half of his war chest consists of loans that he has made to himself. He lists eight $1,000 contributors to his campaign: Kenneth Son, Thomas Crilley, Julie Roe, Steve Kelley, Bernice Wallace, Hart Resources, Barbara McDuffie and Waste Management. He lists 14 contributions between $500-$1,000.
Nassau County Commission, District 3
Republicans Pat Edwards (incumbent) and Timothy Peak are contesting this race, which will be decided in the August 30th Primary Election. Because there are no non Republicans in this race, all registered voters may vote in the August 30 Primary.
Edwards reported that he has loaned his campaign $26,500, bringing down the total from other contributors to $10,775. Included in that amount are 7 $1,000 contributions: American General Properties, NE Florida Committee for Economic Growth, Margaret Edwards, Mike Edwards, W.R. Howell, Matovina & Co., and Sleiman Holdings. He also lists 5 $500 conttibutions.
Peak has loaned his campaign $10,000, reducing the amount of contributions to his campaign to $5,913. He includes two $1,000 contributions, one each from Stephen Kelley and Bernice Wallace, and 3 $500 contributions.
For complete information on financial contributions and expenditures of all Nassau candidates in all races, visit the Supervisor of Elections website: www.votenassau.com.
Editor’s Note: Suanne Z. Thamm is a native of Chautauqua County, NY, who moved to Fernandina Beach from Alexandria,VA, in 1994. As a long time city resident and city watcher, she provides interesting insight into the many issues that impact our city. We are grateful for Suanne’s many contributions to the Fernandina Observer.