Development Officials Atop Contributor List : Cleator Takes Lead in Fund-Raising Race

With an infusion of contributions from the development industry, Councilman Bill Cleator won the first heat for fund raising in the San Diego mayoral primary election. Campaign reports show his campaign took in $27,300 between Dec. 18 and last Saturday.

Cleator’s campaign took in twice as much as that of former San Diego City Councilwoman Maureen O’Connor, who received $14,050 for the same period. She is the second-leading fund raiser and has not loaned her campaign any money, the reports indicate.

Acting Mayor Ed Struiksma received $11,125, while former Councilman Floyd Morrow reported lending his own campaign $22,000.

The figures reported to the San Diego city clerk’s office in the first filing period cover only the first eight days of the mayoral race, since the deadline for filing for the office was Jan. 3. That they can only be considered preliminary is underscored by the fact that on Thursday night, Cleator’s campaign raised $42,400 with a fund-raising party at the councilman’s Point Loma home.

But the finance reports give the opportunity to examine who are the candidates’ earliest--and usually most loyal--supporters.

Much of the funds for Cleator--long regarded as one of the council’s staunchest pro-development conservatives--came from the development industry, which includes architects and real estate brokers. Among those giving the maximum $250 were Julie D. Dillon of Dillon Development Inc.; Dean R. Dunphy of Dunphy Construction Co.; Morley R. Golden of the M. H. Golden Co.; state Transportation Commissioner J. T. (Tom) Hawthorne, who owns San Diego County’s only Caterpillar heavy equipment dealership; executives from the R. E. Hazard Construction Co.; architect Frank L. Hope; contractor W. Daniel Larsen; John Burnham & Co. President Bob Lichter, and Port Commissioner William Rick of Rick Engineering Co.

Cleator reported spending $8,972, most of which was paid to political consultant Ken Rietz for computer work and to buy printing and radio advertising.

Struiksma, a conservative Republican, also tapped the development industry for early contributions. Besides Hawthorne and Hazard, those giving $250 contributions to the District 5 councilman included executives of the Daley Corp. and executives of the Nexus Development Corp.

Struiksma’s campaign reported spending only $869 for printing and postage through last Saturday.

O’Connor, meanwhile, raised $14,050 and spent $9,039, $4,000 of which was paid to the New York firm of Dressner & Sykes for advertising.

The contributor list for O’Connor, a Democrat, did not include big names from San Diego’s development industry but did report maximum $250 contributions from David C. Copley, an executive of the Copley Press; attorneys Gary and Michael Aguirre, and Price Co. founder Sol Price.

O’Connor received one $250 contribution from her husband, Robert O. Peterson, founder of the Jack in the Box hamburger chain. When she ran against Roger Hedgecock in 1983, O’Connor loaned her campaign about $570,000; the early filing for the current race, however, shows no loans from herself.

Morrow was the only candidate who loaned himself any money--$22,000 out of the $23,405 he reported raising in contributions.

The deadline for the next financial report in the mayoral race is Feb. 13. The primary election will be held Feb. 25.