From Deseret News archives:

Amendment 3 backers closing the funding gap

Published: Thursday, Oct. 28, 2004 11:54 a.m. MDT
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Utahns for a Better Tomorrow's largest contribution, from Marriage Education Initiatives, came in the form of a $150,000 cash contribution and $50,000 in in-kind services. UBT spokeswoman Nancy Palmeroy did not have information on the nature of that organization, which has a Salt Lake City address. Another sizable donor was WordPerfect co-founder Alan Ashton's company, AK Holding Co., which gave $100,000.

In the Initiative 1 race, opponents lack funds to rival the $895,000 spent to date by backers of the initiative that would pay to build parks, construct city buildings and clean water through a $150 million bond funded by a .05-cent sales tax increase.

Initiative sponsor group Utahns for Clean Water, Clean Air & Quality Growth, orchestrated by the Exoro group, has spent its money on TV ads, yard signs and direct mailings.

Nearly 70 percent of that money went toward three TV spots promoting the initiative, said Maura Carabello, campaign vice president. Another large portion of the money was used to bring signature gatherers from outside the state to help get the petition on the ballot.

The Coalition for One Less tax — a collaborative group including the Utah Taxpayer's Association, the Utah Farm Bureau and the Utah Association of Realtors — spent only about $20,000 on its campaign.

"We're working with pennies compared to their money," said Chris Kyler, CEO of the Utah Association for Realtors.

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Candidates also were required to file Tuesday. Among candidates for Utah attorney general, incumbent Republican Mark Shurtleff continued his strong fund raising, bringing in $153,255 and pushing his total for the campaign to $620,572. Democratic challenger Greg Skordas raised $32,538 for a total of $212,523. Libertarian Andrew McCullough raised $1,093.

Two candidates for state offices failed to file their report by the 5 p.m. deadline Tuesday and will almost surely be eliminated from the ballot. One was Quinton Thomas Wells, a candidate for the State School Board in District 8. His departure would allow Janet Cannon to win an uncontested race in that district. The other was Richard Peterson, a Green Party candidate for House District 36. Rep. Susan Lawrence, R-Salt Lake, Democrat Gary Sackett and Libertarian Brian Swim remain in that race.

Either candidate can be reinstated on the ballot if their disclosures are received with a postmark of Oct. 23 or if they can prove technical problems with the election office's Web site prevented them from filing or prevented the office from receiving their disclosures. In the Sept. 15 filings, at least one candidate was given a reprieve because of technical glitches.

The Parents for Choice in Education PAC, which is paying for radio ads supporting Republican gubernatorial candidate Jon Huntsman Jr., has raised $355,011 and spent $298,302. The Utah Education Association PAC, which is often at odds with Parents For Choice, has spent $89,300 and maintains a balance of $337,500.


E-mail: dbulkeley@desnews.com

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