Ben Hueso rakes in San Diego special interest money

San Diego — Election time is over for now, but San Diego Eighth District city councilman Ben Hueso has continued to spend some profitable time out on the political fund-raising circuit, where corporate contributions are banned but individuals can give a maximum of $250 each ($300 for mayor), as long as the boss doesn't reimburse them. Among recently disclosed contributions to his city council campaign fund: a total of $750 last December 14 from Dan, Uri, and Aaron Feldman, the family building that controversial high-rise office building in the flight path of the city's Montgomery Field. In addition, Sunroad's Bill Hoffenberg, Wayne Meyerowitz, and Richard Vann each gave $250. Also recorded that day: a total of $700 from John Baumgardner, Steve Burton, and Scott Jones of Ace Parking, the outfit that has major city parking contracts. On December 15, Kimberly Eager, along with Joshua and Tyson Jacobsen, all of Advent Construction, kicked in a total of $750. Rancho Santa Fe's Enrique Landa of the Bajagua Mexican sewage treatment project, subject of a recent Wall Street Journal exposé, gave $250. Global Premier's Scott Oaks, Ignacio Rincon, and Larry Sheehan each contributed $250 on December 15. The company has been seeking permits to tear down 25 buildings and put up an 85-unit apartment complex in Barrio Logan.

On November 20, Terry and Charlene Brown, along with Henry Hoxie and James Oddo, all from Atlas Hotels, gave a total of $1000. Also that day, Mission Bay hotel owner Anne Evans, who leases land from the city for her establishments, and other members of her family gave $1250. Richard Ahrendt, Philip Forgione, and Michael Simonsen of Rural/Metro, the firm that has a city contract to provide paramedic services, each gave $250. Rural/Metro's Robert Heffner gave $250 on November 28.

Another group of large givers were employees of developer Barratt American, who contributed to Kevin Faulconer's campaign debt retirement fund; on July 20, according to the disclosure, Barratt's Joseph Barbano, G. Jack Becker, Lenette J. Hewitt, Alex Merrill, Louis Ochoa, Michael Pattinson, Jeffrey Pitzer, Newman Rush Porter Jr., and Stephen Reid gave a total of $1625. The next day, Mike Armstrong, Thomas Eason, Elizabeth Jaeschke, Robert Laing, and Linda Wright gave another $750 between them. Also on July 21, associates in the Bajagua venture, James and Matthew Simmons of Consultants Collaborative, gave a total of $500.

Mayor Jerry Sanders, who's pushing to contract out city services, also collected some big money from groups of corporately related donors last year. Seven employees of ambulance-provider American Medical Response gave him a total of $1950 on March 6. Five employees of Consultants Collaborative gave a total of $1500 on April 10. Seven J.R. Filanc Construction employees contributed a total of $1600 on March 14. Three women with the last name Filanc kicked in $300 the same day. Five people associated with the utility engineering firm of Lintvedt, McColl gave a total of $1500 in January 2006. Beverly Lintvedt, whose occupation was not listed, gave $300. Seven employees of Pardee Homes gave a total of $2100 on March 14. Eleven staffers at Richard Brady & Associates, a water engineering firm with a history of doing business with the city, gave a total of $1797 on January 11. The same day, Tracy Manning of Richard Brady & Company was listed as giving $300. And four employees of Time Warner Cable, which has a franchise agreement with the city, gave a total of $1100 on April 25.