Fund-Raiser by City Council Candidate Draws Criticism

WALNUT â€”  A Walnut City Council candidate’s lavish $99-a-plate dinner, which attracted 200 supporters and grossed nearly $20,000, has sparked protests from rivals who contend that a high-stakes campaign is inappropriate in the small community.

Mei Mei Ho-Hilger, who is bidding to become the first Asian-American to sit on the Walnut City Council, said the fund-raiser last month at a Rowland Heights restaurant was meant to show her supporters that “we are serious about this campaign.� The deadline for the first campaign finance reports in the race is Oct. 5.

She is among seven first-time candidates hoping to fill the three-year unexpired term of Councilman Ray T. Watson, who died of a heart attack in June. Ho-Hilger said the funds are earmarked for mailers, flyers and signs, and contends that her huge lead in fund raising does not give her any special advantage in the Nov. 3 election.

Bert Ashley, a councilwoman for 12 years, said the typical Walnut campaign costs about $1,500, and Ho-Hilger’s bankroll easily tops any that she is aware of. But she said money alone won’t translate to a win. “You’ve got to know the public,� Ashley said. “You’ve got to hit the streets and pound on some doors.�

Some of Ho-Hilger’s opponents believe that her financial superiority could change the complexion of what is usually a low-key race.

“I think it’s just crazy,� said Ernest Aguilar, one of the six opponents. “You don’t need that kind of money to run a campaign in Walnut. It just shows how out of touch she is. I think she did herself more damage than good.�

“It does put a new look on our City Council elections,� candidate Jack Isett said. “I don’t think we (the six opponents) can afford to be as laid-back.�

Isett said Walnut council campaigns generally cost $800 to $2,000. He said he was taken aback, but not daunted, by reports of Ho-Hilger’s lucrative fund-raiser. “I think it’s overkill,� he said.

His own campaign has raised about $1,000 so far, and Isett said he will urge supporters to “shake the bushes� to gather more financial help. But he doesn’t expect to match Ho-Hilger.

Apparently, neither do any of the other candidates, but they also believe that big money is not necessary to win the race. “I find it incredibly shocking that anyone would raise that much money for a local city council race,� said Richard Saretsky, who added that he plans to spend less than $1,000 on his own campaign. “To me, they’re trying to buy the votes.�

“It’s out of character for this town,� agreed Thomas Patrick King. “I don’t think that’s going to give her any more clout.� King said he is running a no-frills campaign and “I wouldn’t feel right spending that kind of money.�

“Given this city, with its small-town atmosphere, I don’t think (Ho-Hilger’s fund raising) is going to hurt the rest of us,� said Karen Carr-Crawford, who’s trying to become the first African-American woman on the council. “I think a person’s track record is important. We’ve established ourselves in other ways.�

Candidate Ronald Aames said he is running a grass-roots campaign and will not accept any contributions larger than $25. “I prefer to focus on getting out in the neighborhoods and meeting people,� he said.

Ho-Hilger said she plans to back her fund-raising efforts with some door-to-door canvassing. She added that she is tentatively planning another fund-raising event, a golf tournament, in October.