Opposite tactics in mayor's race

Election 2011

CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTORS

Notable contributors to Ralph Soffredine's mayoral campaign include:

- Molly Agostinelli, Garfield Township trustee

- George A. McManus, former Michigan state senator

- T. Michael Jackson, Traverse City Downtown Development Authority chairman

- Janice Warren, Traverse City planning commissioner

- Jim Tompkins, former Traverse City mayor

- George Galic, Traverse Area District Library board trustee

- Linda Johnson, Traverse City Light & Power Board vice-chairperson

- Larry Inman, Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners chairman

- Marsha Smith, Rotary Charities of Traverse City executive director

- Cecil McNally, Traverse City planning commissioner

- Jody Bergman, Traverse City commissioner

Michael Estes ran a self-funded campaign, with no other contributors.

Related Photos

Record-Eagle/Jan-Michael Stump
Michael Estes
Ralph Soffredine

November 4, 2011

By VANESSA McCRAY vmccray@record-eagle.com The Record Eagle Fri Nov 04, 2011, 07:39 AM EDT

TRAVERSE CITY-- The city's two mayoral candidates used opposite tactics to pay for their campaigns.

Michael Estes, who served as mayor from 2007 to 2009, paid for his run with $5,000 of his own money. Ralph Soffredine, a city commissioner since 2003, raised $4,136 from supporters. The two candidates face off in the Nov. 8 election to determine who will win a two-year term as Traverse City mayor. Contributions were reported in documents filed with the Grand Traverse County clerk.

Estes turned down supporters who wanted to donate.

"My philosophy has always been, and I don't expect other people to share it ... to me it's a volunteer job," Estes said.

The mayor's salary of $6,021 would offset his election expenses should he win the seat, he said.

Soffredine's 50-plus contributors include a handful who hold posts on city boards. His largest donation was $500 from Traverse Area District Library board trustee George Galic, whose history with that board sparked a notable political battle.

Soffredine in 2008 served on a committee that recommended Galic's reappointment to the library board, but then-mayor Estes vetoed the choice. Galic later sued the city, Estes and three commissioners in an attempt to prove officials conspired to remove him from the board, though Galic eventually withdrew the suit.

In 2010, Soffredine served on another committee that again recommended Galic to the library board. This time, the recommendation was approved, and Galic is serving a term that expires in 2013.

Soffredine called Galic the "best candidate" for the library position. Galic has "always supported" his campaigns, Soffredine said.

"I didn't have any conversation (with him)," Soffredine said. "We sent out letters to people who had given before."

Galic said he has made more than $5,000 in political contributions this year to various local and national candidates and added "there's nothing extraordinary" about backing Soffredine.

"I've been a very consistent fan of Ralph Soffredine for years," Galic said. "He represents a consistent point of view, and a point of view that's needed."

Other donations to Soffredine include $50 from fellow city Commissioner Jody Bergman and $50 from Downtown Development Authority board Chairman T. Michael Jackson.

"He understands the people. He understands the issues, and he understands how the city works," Jackson said.

Jackson served on the city commission alongside Soffredine, who he said "has always been supportive of the DDA and the downtown."

Estes described his campaign approach as "pretty low-budget." He carried over $1,050 from a prior campaign in addition to the $5,000 he funded this year. Estes spent $3,235 on items such as postage and printing and re-used some of his old signs. He's gone door-to-door in neighborhoods refreshing residents on who he is and what he accomplished in office.

"There's no doubt once you've been there you establish some name ID," he said.

Statements show Soffredine spent more than $1,575 on the campaign, but he said he's spent more since those documents were filed. His expenses included printing, postage and yard signs.