BY ALAN PITTMAN
Growth Gorilla
F o o l s c a p
B i s o c o l o s k i n s g
Chamber of Commerce raises big election bucks from developers.
T
he Eugene Area Chamber of
Commerce has thrown a 1,000-
pound gorilla into local elections
to pursue its pro-sprawl and anti-environ-
mental agenda.
The chamber’s political action commit-
tee (PAC) reported that by April 1 it had
amassed a $32,700 war chest for local elec-
tions next month. The Chamber is backing
Nancy Nathanson for mayor and Maurie
Denner, Tom Slocum, Scott Meisner and
Chris Pryor for the City Council. Pryor is
unopposed in Ward 8.
Developers, construction companies,
land speculators and other pro-sprawl de-
velopment interests have written most of
the checks for the Chamber’s PAC, con-
tributing nearly $30,000 over the past two
years.
The Papé Group was the largest con-
tributor to the Chamber PAC, giving
$5,050. Papé sells heavy equipment to de-
Hynix Semiconductor gave $1,000. The
city has given Hynix more than $40 mil-
lion in tax breaks and permits to fill and
build on a large swath of wetlands.
The Gaydos, Churnside business law
firm and Pepsi Bottling Company gave
$1,000 each.
PeaceHealth, now moving its hospital
to Springfield, gave $500.
Many of the Chamber PAC’s biggest
donors are also big contributors to George
Bush and right-wing politics. The
Giustinas recently gave $50,000 to the
Republican National Committee’s efforts
to re-elect George Bush and his friends.
The Wildish family recently gave $2,000
to Republicans nationally, $5,000 for the
pro-West Eugene Parkway campaign two
years ago and $2,000 to the Gang of 9’s at-
tack ads against City Council progressives.
Warren has given almost $3,000 to the
state and national Republican parties and
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Almost $9 out of every $10 contributed
to the PAC came from 22 large companies
and wealthy individuals who gave
$1,000 or more.
velopers and road builders and owns the
Sanipac garbage company.
The Giustina timber family and their
various companies were the second largest
contributor to the PAC. The Giustinas have
speculated on large tracts of land on the
edges of Eugene and could stand to make
millions from urban sprawl.
The Giustinas gave $2,050 to the PAC
directly. Thousands more came through a
PAC opposed to taxes to repair roads. The
Giustina’s contributed $3,000 to the
Repeal Unfair Taxes PAC. The Unfair
taxes PAC then gave $4,466 to the
Chamber PAC in in-kind and cash dona-
tions.
Carolyn Chambers, owner of
Chamber’s Construction and Chambers
Communications (KEZI), gave $3,500 to
the Chamber PAC. Hamilton Construction
gave $3,000. The Delta, Egge, Eugene, and
Wildish sand, gravel and construction
companies each gave $1,000, except for
Wildish, which gave $1,200.
Developer Hult & Associates gave
$2,150 and developers, land speculators
and timber barons at Giustina Resources
gave $2,050. Bennett property manage-
ment company gave $2,000. Duncan &
Brown real estate appraisers gave $3,000.
Rexius and Jerry’s Home Improvement,
suppliers for developers, each gave
$1,000. Lumberman J.P. Hammer gave
$1,000.
Businesses opposed to environmental,
safety and quality of life regulations and in
favor of yet more tax breaks were the other
big funders of the Chamber PAC, kicking
$18,366 into the pot.
Michael Schwartz, owner of M. Jacobs
Furniture and other companies, gave
$3,000 to the PAC. Charles Warren, owner
of Excalibur Cutlery gave $2,000.
George Bush over the last four years
Many Chamber donors also gave big
donations to Nathanson’s mayoral cam-
paign. Giustina, Hamilton, Delta, and
Wildish gave similar big donations to
Nathanson.
The Chamber reported spending
$18,613 so far for the May election. The
biggest chunk of the money went to
Edgewater Strategies, a local political con-
sulting and surveying firm. It’s unclear
whether Edgewater was in fact doing work
to benefit Nathanson and other candidates.
The Chamber PAC reported donating
$1,500 directly to Nathanson and $750 to
Denner. As of April 1, the PAC had
$14,085 in cash. Much more money is
likely to pour into the Chamber PAC this
month with the next spending report due
May 6.
As of April 1, Kitty Piercy lead
Nathanson in mayoral fund-raising
$38,446 to Nathanson’s $24,360. But if the
Chamber throws its money fully behind
Nathanson, the conservative candidate’s fi-
nancial backing will far exceed Piercy’s.
In the past two years, the PAC has spent
a total of $14,430 on political work by
Edgewater, $4,500 on surveys and $12,500
on direct donations to candidates. About
$5,000 has gone to catered fund-raising
events.
Although the Chamber of Commerce
has thousands of members (including
Eugene Weekly), only a small group of pro-
sprawl interests funded the PAC and appar-
ently decide how the money is spent.
Almost $9 out of every $10 contributed to
the PAC came from 22 large companies
and wealthy individuals who gave $1,000
or more. If politics follow money, these
are the few special interests that run
Eugene.
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APRIL 29, 2004 9