Bregenzer, Platzer, James lead fundraising for Vallejo City Council candidates

VALLEJO – Vallejo City Council candidates have submitted financial disclosures for their campaigns as the November election is underway, showing how they have funded their campaigns since July 1.

Healthcare administrator Peter Bregenzer leads in fundraising after receiving more than $16,000 in cash and non-monetary donations since July 1, campaign records show. Bregenzer’s campaign picked up $9,960 in cash and an additional $6,354 in non-monetary contributions. Bregenzer is seeking to represent District 5, central Vallejo, on the Vallejo City Council.

Special coverage: November 2022 Solano County election

A general election will be held on Nov. 8, 2022, with local elections for three Vallejo City Council seats, two Benicia city council seats, Vallejo school board and more.

The Vallejo SunJohn Glidden

Notable contributions included $750 from former Vallejo Mayor Bob Sampayan, who donated $150 in cash and $600 worth of items for auction. Similarly, Councilmember Katy Miessner gave $200 in cash while also donating $2,500 worth of auction items.

During the same period, $1,000 came from Carrie Jurney, $750 from Paula McConnell, wife of Mayor Robert McConnell, $400 from Jimmy Genn, and $350 from Cynthia Bregenzer.

Fellow District 5 candidate local businesswoman Tara Beasley-Stansberry reported receiving $12,105 in cash, which includes a $3,000 cash contribution Beasley-Stansberry gave to her own campaign, campaign records show.  Beasley-Stansberry co-owns Noonie’s Place restaurant with her wife.

Beasley-Stansberry’s campaign received large donations of $4,900 from the Service Employees International Union Local 1021 and $2,500 from Jamese Beasley, who owns the real estate firm J Beasley Enterprises. She also received $500 from Solano County Supervisor Erin Hannigan, $300 from Phillip Balbuena, a member of Vallejo’s surveillance advisory board, and $100 from Valllejo’s Community and Volunteer Coordinator Shelee Loughmiller, campaign records show.

The other District 5 campaigns showed modest gains with college career advisor Tanya Hall giving her campaign a $3,000 loan, while Planning Commissioner Melissa Bowman received $1,943 in contributions - but the vast majority of that, $1,700, she donated herself. She also loaned her campaign an additional $1,900.

Finally, business owner Dwight Monroe Jr. received $1,300 in cash contributions with notable contributions of $500 coming from James Long, pastor at Truth Faith Baptist Church and $100 each from local businessman J.D. Miller and Tiffanee Jones, who currently serves as district director for State Assemblymember Lori Wilson.

District 4 - Mare Island/West Vallejo

Former Planning Commissioner Chris Platzer has secured the most funding out of the four men seeking to represent District 4 on the Vallejo City Council. The new district includes Mare Island and Downtown Vallejo.

Platzer received $8,000 in cash contributions with $3,000 of that total coming from local businessman Buck Kamphausen. Other notable donations include $1,500 from Mare Island Dry Dock, $1,000 from the Napa-Solano Central Labor Council, and $2,000 from Maximilian and Dorothea Platzer.

Planning Commissioner Charles Palmares picked up $3,200 in cash contributions with notable donations of $200 each from local realtor Diana Lang and Phillip Balbuena, who serves on the city’s surveillance advisory board. Palmares’ campaign also accepted $100 from local activist Liat Meitzenheimer. Palmares also gave his campaign a $200 loan, records show.

Finally, former Vallejo school board Trustee Ruscal Cayangyang received $2,100 in cash contributions with notable donations of $250 from Paula McConnell and $200 from Jovanka Beckles, who serves on the AC Transit Board of Directors.

Community advocate Ravi Shankar reported no donations or expenditures.

District 2 - North Vallejo

Cassandra James, who serves on the Housing and Community Development Commission, leads all candidates in fundraising in the race for District 2, which represents North Vallejo.  James has received over $9,000 in cash contributions since July, including $4,900 from the Service Employees International Union Local 1021, and $1,800 from the Dignity CA SEIU Local 2015.

Planning Commissioner Diosdado “JR” Matulac has raised  more than $5,000 and also loaned his campaign $10,000.

Matulac received $2,000 each from the Vallejo Chamber of Commerce and Buck Kamphausen, campaign records show.

He picked up smaller donations from well-known sources including $200 from outgoing Vallejo school board Trustee Tony Ubalde, $200 from Vallejo Vice Mayor Rozzana Verder-Aliga, and $100 from Valllejo’s Community and Volunteer Coordinator Shelee Loughmiller, campaign records show. The campaign received $250 from the Cement Masons' Local 400 and $125 from Dennis Yen.

Meanwhile, community advocate Garrett Toles received $5,600 in cash with most of that, $4,900, coming from Kolaboration Ventures Corporation, which operates V-Town Farms cannabis dispensary within the district. Toles’ also reported a $500 cash contribution from Gary Banks, who is listed as a business consultant.

Local realtor Don Jordan reported receiving more than $5,300 during the same period, which includes $2,000 from Associated Tax Services, $1,000 from James Sharpe, who is listed as retired on the campaign finance form, and $500 from management consultant Kevin Slater.