Provo race a costly one

OREM — Utah County finance reports are in, and it's no surprise the cost of campaigning is highest in Provo.

The two highly publicized candidates, incumbent Lewis Billings and challenger Dave Bailey, have each spent more than $45,000 — and there's still a week of campaigning left.

Per state election law, each candidate is required to file a financial disclosure statement with their city outlining how much money they've raised and spent, along with who gave it, and where it went.

A campaign finance report from Billings shows he raised almost $64,000, along with almost $9,800 from donations "in-kind" or by service. However, he's only spent $46,188, leaving him almost $18,300 to spend over the next week.

Some of that money went toward a large mailer that showed up in Provo mailboxes Wednesday. The flyer contains pictures and endorsements from Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., Utah Senate President John Valentine and Orem Mayor Jerry Washburn, among others. Postage and mailing expenses alone have cost Billings almost $13,000, according to the campaign finance documents.

Some of Billing's biggest donations came from Hal and Brigitte Wing of Springville, the owners of Wing Enterprises, makers of The Little Giant Ladder, who gave $10,000. Nu Skin and management gave almost $7,000.

The campaign will continue with daily fund-raising, gladly accepting any new donations as they come, said Linda P. Walton, Billings campaign spokeswoman.

She said they feel comfortable with the money they've raised and will continue to focus on issue-based advertising.

Provo residents also received a competing color mailer from Bailey on Wednesday — a postcard-size ad which showed the candidate standing with the Provo Firefighters Association and the Provo Police Association. Bailey has spent almost $12,500 on direct mail advertising

With only $3,000 left in the Bailey campaign coffers, campaign manager Mary Bailey, the candidate's wife, said she thinks they're done with intense advertising.

She added, however, she still expects more donations to flow in and wouldn't be surprised if it totaled as much as $6,000. The biggest donation to the Bailey campaign was $13,000 from the Provo Firefighters — an association comprising many individuals, Mary Bailey said. Dave Bailey is a retired Provo firefighter.

While Provo's campaign spending has skyrocketed, it's a different scenario in other Utah Valley cities.

"I hope we are the exception to the rule," Mary Bailey said. "I would encourage those that are planning on running for an office to be sensible."