Hudson County Commissioner Bill O’Dea raised $224,871.21 in his quarter 1 haul in the Jersey City mayoral race, with $1,092,504.56 cash on hand, his latest reports filed with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (NJ ELEC) show.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“We’re building a campaign that will be capable of reaching voters in each and every Jersey City neighborhood to spread our message and continue expanding our base of supporters,” O’Dea said in a statement.
“I’m grateful to everyone who has chosen to support our team because they recognize our commitment to integrity and our vision for a future where no one in Jersey City gets left behind.”
In his personal account, he raised $103,720, spent $41,283.79, and has $628,177.50 cash on hand, according to his April 15th ELEC report.
The Pipefitters Local Union 274 PAC contributed $10,000, the Operative Plasterers & Cement Masons Local No. 29 gave $7,500, the Jersey City Fire Officers Association donated $5,500 (they were refunded $500), Mana Miami Management Vice President and Treasurer Jay Cung gave $5,000, as did Franklin Lakes-based Euro Concrete.
NJCU Program Assistant Helen Castillo Bognon donated $3,080, while Hudson County Sheriff Frank Schillari wrote a check for $500.
Secaucus-based Vision Media Marketing accounted for over half of his expenses for the quarter, spending $21,677.79 on fundraising, printing, and mailing.
Additionally, Guttenberg-based Great Society Strategies received $5,500 for political consulting services.
The Team O’Dea account shared collectively by his city council slate raised $106,407.50, spent $44,125.12, and has $167,886.03 cash on hand, according to their April 12th ELEC report.
IBEW Local Union No. 164 gave a cumulative $35,500, Ralph Salermo, of Elizabeth’s Ramas Contractors LLC donated $20,000, and the UA Plumbers Local 24 PAC wrote a check for $15,200.
The Cranford-based Davco Trucking Corp got involved at $6,000, Jersey City’s Excelsior Plumbing Co Inc. contributed $5,500, while Bayonne’s Mahalaxmi Bayonne Urban Renewal wrote a check for $5,000.
Furthermore, Council-at-large candidate Kristen Zadroga-Hart and Ward C council candidate Tom Zuppa chipped in $1,500 each, while Hudson County Clerk E. Junior Maldonado, a co-campaign chair, gave $1,000.
As far as expenditures, the vast majority, $28,414.23, went towards rent and related expenses for their various campaign offices. Beyond that, Jersey City’s On Time Graphics was paid $13,385 for banners, signs, magnets, and business cards.
Other funds came from O’Dea raising $1,500 into his commissioner account, which has $296,441.03 cash on hand, and Zadroga-Hart raising $13,243.71 into her individual account.
O’Dea is running in a five-person field for mayor in the non-partisan November 4th contest.
His opponents include Ward E Councilman James Solomon, Council President Joyce Watterman, ex-Gov. Jim McGreevey, and former Board of Education President Mussab Ali.
Solomon had a strong quarter 1, raising $392,816.22 and $941,653.26 cash on hand, as HCV first reported.
