Group with Rancho Sahuarita ties enters campaign

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A political committee with ties to Rancho Sahuarita has filed a statement with the Town Clerk saying it plans to spend money on the Town Council election, but those affiliated with it have not disclosed its purpose.

The BEG for Change Committee filed a Statement of Organization on Friday saying it was organized “for the purpose of making independent expenditures” and that it has no sponsoring organization. A political committee can spend money on a race apart from the campaign of any candidate.

The committee listed the home address of its treasurer, Karen Eves, which also is the address of Rancho Sahuarita construction manager David Eves. It listed as an e-mail contact Zimmerman & Associates, a Tucson public relations and consulting firm.

Carol Zimmerman, co-owner of the firm, said early Friday afternoon that the committee “will take a stand on the upcoming council races” and that more details would be provided “soon” in a press release. No release had been sent as of Friday evening.

Karen Eves said “no comment” when asked the committee’s purpose Friday. She also declined to say who could answer the question. Committee chair Kia Harris-Birdsong, Rancho Sahuarita Co. owner Bob Sharpe and Rancho Sahuarita community liaison Tom Murphy did not return phone calls Friday evening.

Meanwhile, Town Council candidate Kara Egbert said she will increase her spending through direct fundraising to compete with rival Rosanna Gabaldon, who has nearly $5,000 and the support of the Pima County Democratic Party.

Egbert, the only challenger from Rancho Sahuarita, said Friday she had not heard of the BEG for Change committee and did not know its purpose. Gabaldon said she did not know about the committee. Candidates John J. Sullivan and Roger Minor are incumbents from Rancho Sahuarita, and candidates Duane Blumberg and Alex Jacome have received endorsements from Vice Mayor Phillip Conklin, among others.

Gabaldon raised $4,960.69 as of Feb. 26, according to a report filed with the town clerk’s office. That included $1,000 in cash and $390 in in-kind contributions from the Democratic party. She received $500 in cash from the Tucson-based Arizona List PAC, which supports pro-choice Democratic women, and $390 from the statewide plumbers union.

Gabaldon said she approached the Democratic party for help because the party backed her unsuccessful bid in 2007. She said the money “enables me to campaign in places like a gated community. I need to reach voters. I’m running my own campaign -— no one is driving me.”

Historically, many town council candidates have stayed under the $500 spending limit that requires no itemizing of contributions, and the race has not been overtly partisan.

The other four candidates in the race -— Minor, Jacome, Sullivan and Blumberg — have not announced plans to spend more than $500, though Minor said he is considering it.

Egbert is using the public relations firm Red Creek Media in Oro Valley and has set up a web site, www.votekara.com, saying, “When I am on the council I want to be accessible to the residents and voters of Sahuarita.”

Egbert wrote in a press release Thursday that she originally intended to keep her campaign spending under the $500 threshold, but, “When I read that the Pima County Democratic Party had moved $1,000 into a non-partisan council primary I knew I had to react.”

The campaign reports are filed online at the town clerk’s office.

Egbert said her campaign will focus on small donations from town residents “in order to keep up with the large out-of-town funds being channeled to other candidates.”

Gabaldon, who also has a web site, www.votegabaldon.com, filed a report Jan. 31 saying she had raised $1,803.10 from Nov. 21 through Dec. 31. She also has received help with phone calls and canvassing from the Democratic party, and she and Minor have the endorsement of the statewide Plumbers, Steamfitters and Refrigeration union, Local 469.

On Feb. 26, Gabaldon filed a report that showed a fundraising total of $3,157.35 covering the period from Jan. 1 to Feb. 18, and a grand total of $4,960.69. To that point, her campaign had spent $4,529.73.

Other candidates shunned the backing of unions and Sullivan rejected Democratic support, as candidates said they didn’t want the appearance of outside pressure.

The next finance reports are to be filed between March 31 and April 9 for the period from Feb. 19 through March 30.

The election for three open seats will be conducted by mail; ballots will be sent out April 16 and are due back by May 19.

The Quail Creek Republican Club is holding a candidates forum at 7 p.m. April 21 at the Madera Club House ballroom in Quail Creek. The format has not been finalized.

pfranchine@sahuaritasun.com | 547-9738