Salt Lake mayoral candidates not short on funds, donor reports show

Salt Lake City mayoral candidate Ralph Becker, a Democrat who leads in latest polls to be the capital city's next mayor, is picking up financial support from longtime Democrats, gay activists and a few Republicans as well, his latest campaign money filings show.

The GOP candidate, Dave Buhler, a former state senator who has spent the last eight years on the City Council, is receiving support from longtime Republicans and firms that have had some dealings with the city in recent years, his reports show.

Both men appear to have enough cash to finish strong campaigns this last full week before the Nov. 6 election. Becker had $82,000 as of Monday, while Buhler had $57,000.

Becker has raised $590,000 and spent $507,000. Buhler has raised $464,000 and spent $407,000.

A number of individuals, groups and businesses gave to both Buhler and Becker — clearly wanting to hedge their bets on who will be the new mayor.

The leaders in giving to both men, $7,500 to each — $15,000 overall — are Michael and Marianne Moffitt, the owners of Gold Cross Ambulance. Gold Cross recently lost the city's contract for ambulance services.

Cowboy Properties split $10,000 evenly between both candidates. Cowboy Properties is doing all the residential units in the LDS Church's City Creek development of two downtown city blocks.

And Earl Holding, owner of the Little America hotels and Sinclair Oil, gave both candidates $5,000 each.

Some Republicans who gave to Becker include John Price, the former Utah GOP national committeeman who over time raised so much money for the national Republican Party that President Bush appointed him an ambassador to three small African nations. Price, together with his wife and son, gave Becker $20,000.

Before the September primary election, which whittled the candidate field to two, Salt Lake County Democratic Councilwoman Jenny Wilson and Becker shared support from the city's gay and lesbian community. Now that Wilson is no longer a candidate, that support is flowing extensively to Becker, the minority leader in the Utah House.

Well-known gay and lesbian supporter Bruce Bastian, a co-founder of WordPerfect, who gave $7,500 to Wilson, has now given $7,500 — the legal limit of contributions — to Becker. The gay activist group Equality Utah has also donated $7,500 to Becker, the new reports show.