Source of funding

Dear Editor:I was surprised to read in The Downey Patriot how much money candidates are raising for this city council election ("Vasquez Leads in Fundraising," 10/7/10). You can buy a lot of signs for $20,000. I was curious why $13,000 was contributed to the campaign of Fernando Vasquez in amounts of $500 to $1,500 from organizations outside Downey. Also, Alex Saab received $8,000 from the California Real Estate PAC. Did I miss something? I thought this was a local election. Times are tough. When I ran (unsuccessfully) for the school board a couple of decades ago, I was happy to get $5 or $10 from friends. I hope these contributors are not looking for some kind of sweetheart deal in return. We have to be vigilant or we can become another Bell. I wish these candidates well; I wish they could all win if they are dedicated to serving Downey. Campaigning is no fun and I'm sure serving on the council is time-consuming. I almost dreaded the possibility that I might win because I really didn't have the time to serve, but I felt a duty to offer. I hope these candidates feel that way too. -- Don Niemand, Downey

********** Published: October 14, 2010 - Volume 9 - Issue 26