City council candidates raise thousands ahead of special elections

Voters will elect two new Downey City Council members this November. (City of Downey photo)

DOWNEY — In preparation of the two special city council elections scheduled for November, four candidates have submitted their financial disclosure forms to the city clerk.

The disclosures cover Jan. 1 through June 30 of this year.

District 1

District 1, covering Southeast Downey, is currently represented by Timothy Horn, who was appointed in January to replace former Mayor Blanca Pacheco after she was elected to the 64th State Assembly District. He will not be seeking reelection.

November’s election will decide who will complete the remainder of the term, through December 2024.

Elvira Meraz

Real estate broker Elvira Meraz raised $9,425 during the first six months of the year, including a $1,000 loan to herself. She has spent $4,670.

Just under a third of those funds come from property management company L’Abri Management, as Meraz received $1,000 from the company itself plus $1,000 from owner Ron Kolar and $1,000 from vice president Jeremy Fitzl. She also received $1,000 from former mayor Kirk Cartozian.

Donors:

$1000: Christopher Alexander Calderon. Vanessa O. Ibarra, Cartozian Associates Real Estate Inc., Jeremy Fitzl, Ron Kolar, Labri Management, Inc., Arturo Concha

$500: Steve Roberson, Gavril Gabriel

$300: Lissette Rivera

$125: Kenneth Ferraro

Horacio Ortiz

Horacio Ortiz, owner of El Pescador Bar and Grill, has raised $46,907, including a $10,100 loan to himself. He reported spending $15,811.87.

His contributions are extremely business-heavy with contributions from his restaurant chain and many of its owners and staff. Mayor Pro Tem Mario Trujillo, whom which Ortiz serves as planning commissioner for, also contributed $1,000.

Donors:

$1000: Jaime Santos; El Pescador Bar & Grill, Inc., Montebello; El Pescador Restaurant, Inc., Bell Gardens; El Pescador #9 Restaurant, Los Angeles; El Pescador #12 Inc., Fillmore; El Pescador Family Restaurant, South Gate; Manuel Ortiz; Gustavo Ortiz; Manuel Santos Valdez; Vic Mountain Group LLC; Azalea Park, Inc.; Downey Hospitality Group Inc.; Henry Ceja Trujillo; Mario Trujillo; Jama Transport, Inc.; Eduardo Ortiz; Art Montoya; Jose Zermano; Altalune Investment Enterprises Inc.; Shortstop Investments Inc.; Le Coco Restaurant; Sara Elena Victor Ortiz; Cingular HR; Job Source Downey; Tapia Enterprises, Inc.; Kitchen Cuts, LLC; Luis E. Montano; David Valadez

$600: Anthony Leonel Nunez

$500: Clamentina Casillas; Christina Perez; Shahnez Khan; DTC Flooring LLC; GGO, Inc.; Personal Care Performance Group; Luis E. Montano; Alejandro Ascencio

$300: Eduardo Sanchez

$250: Robert Ramos; Miguel Duarte; Judith Casillas; Vincente Ortiz; Susana Ortiz; Yliana Ortiz-Valenzuela

$200: Fredy Rodriguez; Wagner Segura; Guadalupe Diaz; Alexis Suarez; Osvaldo Hoizar

$100: Stephanie Vallejo; Marissa Machado; Detrick Manning; Rafael Santoya; Reggie Donahue; Alfonso Madrigal; Andrea Vega; Fernando Moreno; Jesus Laurean

District 3

District 3, which represents the northwest area of Downey, has been vacant since former councilwoman Catherine Alvarez was recalled in February. Like District 1, candidates are running to serve the remainder of her term through December 2024.

Dorothy Pemberton

Realtor Dorothy Pemberton has reported raising $18,900 — including a $2,500 loan to herself — and spending $6,563. Her funding is fueled mostly by residents (many of whom are retired), volunteers, and local businesses.

Like Meraz, Pemberton’s greatest contribution is tied to L’Abri, having received $1,000 from the property management company in addition to $1,000 from Ron Kolar and $1,000 from his wife, Kathleen Kolar. Pemberton also received financial support from former mayors Cartozian, Bob Brazelton, Mario Guerra, Alex Saab, and Rick Rodriguez.

Donors:

$1000: Bonnie Tavers, Whitney Pemberton, Guerra Enterprises, Law Offices of Alex Saab, Bob Brazelton, Ron Kolar, Kathleen Kolar, Cartozian Associates Real Estate Inc., Shelby Pemberton, L’Abri Management, Richard E. Raabe

$500: Raul and Arlene Lopez, Steve Roberson, William Kirkwood, John Lacey, RMI International, Gavril Gabriel

$350: Victoria Smith, James L. Travers

$250: JBS Fire Protection LLC, Chanel Page, Beverly Mathis

$200: Don Lamkin, Alan Pemberton

$150: Patricia E. Sharpe

$100: Joyce Doyle, B. Dennis Beeson, Monica Gross, Patricia Morris

Gil Legaspi

Commercial real estate broker and reserve police officer Gil Contreras Legaspi was the biggest raiser of the group, collecting $50,471.11 in contributions, including loaning $12,000 to himself. However, he has so far underspent his opponent, spending $3,388.72.

Legaspi garnered a wide range of support from within and out of Downey, including from the real estate industry, law enforcement officers, law offices, and several businesses. His greatest local contribution came from La Barca Grill and Cantina, from which he received $1,000 from the business and its owner, Guillermo Padilla.

Donors:

$1000: Century 21 Cornerstone, Arturo Concha, Cortez Sales and Services, LLC, Jerry Farcone, Focus Escrow, David Douratt, Manuel Frias, Luis A. Galdamez, Gloria’s Bar and Grill, ISA Management Group, LLC, La Barca Bar and Grill and Cantina, Jorge Martinez, Carmelo Mauro, Nicholas Mauro, Peter Mekari, Jerry Mercado, Padilla Guillermo, Ricardo Perez, Quality Environmental Inc., Martina Romo de Esccutia, Braulio Sanchez, Gustavo Steiner, Success 2020 LLC (Merita Rama), Ultimate Fasion, Inc.

$750: Lawrence Garces

$700: Jayson Mercado

$500: Comfort Point HVAC, DFL Group LLC, Miguel Duarte, Hernandez Carpet Brokers, Valente Martinez, Zait Mercado, Minuteman Press Downey, Javier Munoz, Vijay Patel, Judih Pinedo, Surface Productions, Inc., The Camp Downey, Art Verdugo

$400: Mayra Diaz, Maria Legaspi

$350: Jessica Ramirez

$250: Oscar Gonzalez, Law Offices of Steve Cortez, APC, Julia Rivas

$200: Naveen Choda, Flamin Curry, Inc.

$150: Art Montoya

$111.11: David Gomez

$100: Allan Corrales, Marco Del Rio, Roy Jimenez, K&K C Corporation dba Flower Market Liquor, Sandeep Kumar, Angel Lagunes, Magnolia Market, Inc., Orange Curry 2, Orange Masala, Inc., Joanna Peterson, Debra Sugden, Tic Tac Market, Inc., US Capitol Corp., Eduardo Valenzuela, Fred Villegas