Trust in candidates often leads to big donations - Springfield, IL - The State Journal-Register

Why give money to candidates? Some of the top contributors to the four contenders for the Springfield mayor’s office have different reasons.

They center, donors say, on trust that their candidate will do the best for the city.

While a full picture of candidate finances may not be available until after Tuesday’s election, top donors so far to the candidates were gleaned from records of donations of $1,000 or more that had to be reported quickly and from discussions with candidates.

The top giver to Sheila Stocks-Smith was the Prairie Political Action Committee, the leadership PAC of U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill. Durbin lives in Springfield and says he has also urged others to contribute.

Prairie PAC has given at least $22,500 to Stocks-Smith since January.

“I am a resident of this town, and I’ve known Sheila for years,” Durbin said recently. “I trust her, and I believe she’d be a good leader in this community.”

Durbin said Stocks-Smith has many Springfield donors, but he has “asked my friends around the state to help” in the effort as well.

“It’s tough for Democrats to raise money in Springfield,” Durbin said. “This is a town which is friendly to the other party. So I want Sheila to have a chance.”

Among those he has asked are out-of-town law firms, Durbin said.

Stocks-Smith’s second-highest donor is the Edwardsville law firm of Gori, Julian & Associates, which gave at least $20,000. Randy Gori, a partner in that firm, did not return telephone messages. The firm’s web site indicates it specializes in representing victims of asbestos lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Mike Coffey Jr.

Mike Coffey Jr., who had raised more than $100,000 by the end of December for his mayoral run, has received a total of $20,000 from union laborers — $10,000 each from the PAC of Laborers Local 477 in Springfield and an equal amount from the Southern Central Illinois Laborers PAC.

“I think that, without a doubt, Mike has a clear vision for the future of Springfield,” said Brad Schaive, business manager of Local 477. Schaive also is on the board of the Southern Central group, which includes seven locals in more than 45 counties. “He has an idea of how to expand jobs to work on the infrastructure of the city and also take a strong view at the political hires and people that are in positions that don’t provide a service to taxpayers.”

The Coffey family physician, William Coughlin, and his wife, Kimberly Coughlin, have combined to donate $10,000.

“I’ve watched little Mike grow up,” William Couglin said, adding that he and his wife, Kimberly, are long-time friends with Coffey’s parents. “So when little Mike asked me for money, I didn’t even think of the amount I gave – I just gave what I thought was appropriate. It’s not a political donation. I think Mike is the best candidate.”

Valco Awards and More, a Springfield company owned by Frank and Linda Vala, donated $9,990 worth of promotional items, including signs, bumper stickers and packets of coffee, to the Coffey campaign.

“I’ve got a friendship with Mike,” said Frank Vala, founder of the firm, where the president is his wife, Linda. “I’m impressed with his management of the restaurant,” he added of the Coffey family business, Saputo’s. “I’m impressed with his management of the (Prairie Capital) Convention Center,” where Coffey chairs the board.

“I think we need new blood,” added Vala. “I don’t think we need an old person that had experience 25 years ago.”

The Southern Central Laborers’ group also gave $5,000 to Stocks-Smith last week.

Matt Berry, campaign manager for Stocks-Smith, said Bill Houlihan, Durbin’s downstate director, asked the leadership of the union group for the assistance. Schaive said he’s for Coffey, but he is only one of seven members who decide where money from the Southern Central group is donated.

The top outside donor to Mike Houston is the union group representing about 200 Springfield firefighters. Local 37 of the International Association of Fire Fighters donated $7,500 to Houston. That money accompanied the group’s endorsement.

“We just felt like he was real in tune with what was going on with the city,” Capt. Tony Burton, president of the local, said. He also noted that the former mayor was clear about “following our collective bargaining agreement.”

Another $6,000 donation to Houston, including $5,000 in early December and $1,000 in late March, came from Duffy & Associates, the business of a Houston friend and regular Saturday golf partner.

Lee Duffy, a Curran Township resident, said he’s known Houston for about a dozen years.

“I don’t think I know a more honest individual,” said Duffy, speaking from his second home in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Duffy owns 18 Discount Tobacco stores in Illinois, including one in Springfield, one in Jerome and one in Chatham.

“I believe that Mike Houston is the right guy for this job. I really, in my heart, do,” Duffy said. He also said he has “done quite well for myself,” and thinks helping Houston is “kind of a way of putting back, because I have enough faith and confidence in what Mike will do.”

Duffy said he personally needs nothing, and wouldn’t ask for anything, from city government.

The fourth candidate for mayor, Ward 3 Ald. Frank Kunz, said that, after his mother, Margaret Kunz, who has given several hundred dollars, his top donors are John Link, owner of Illinois Plumbing & Heating Supply in Springfield, at $700; and Larry and Kathy Gebhardt, former constituents who now live in Sherman. Kathy Gebhardt is former chairman of the Kunz campaign fund.

“I think the world of Frank, personally,” said Larry Gebhardt, an operating engineer who helps run the wastewater treatment plant at the Springfield Metro Sanitary District.

“He’s one of the few candidates that I’ve actually ever seen hold true to what he told me privately when I was working with him on his campaign for alderman,” Gebhardt added.

Those pledges included not handing out any political jobs and being open with the media, he said.

“He’s just a reputable guy,” Gebhardt said. “He’s been a standup man.”

Kunz, who is self-employed in heating and air conditioning, is a customer of Link’s firm. Link was out of town late last week and couldn’t immediately be reached.

Bernard Schoenburg can be reached at 788-1540.