Interesting Thread at the Lakewood Buzz

Opening comment on the thread that started back in May, I was hoping someone else would make a comment, but it seems to have died away. Here the opening statement:

By Thomas Powell Bullock

"Can we spark neighborhood engagement in Lakewood issues through political party activities
(i.e. Democratic or Republican), or are parties and their labels a hindrance?"

An interesting premise, however the thread then leaps over to Campaign Finance Reform for Local and State Candidates and that is where I think these folks have no concept of the costs of a local campaign and where the money comes from.

For Example:
Bob White writes:

"...I'm afraid that until we get real campaign finance reform to where we publicly fund
candidate campaigns, then local and national candidates will remain addicted to partisan
politics in both parties if they are to receive their endorsements and party funding. Today
that's how the system works."

In a local race, there is one of three ways to fund a campaign, (1) use your own money; (2) Raise money through various sources or (3) A combination of both. In my case, it was the third choice. Although my fundraising was anemic at best, I did have a fair amount of donations that allowed me to do get my message out.

What was interesting, is that I sat down with a former mayor prior to the election and asked him about fundraising, he stated that if you can fund your own campaign with personal money then do it, because raising money from private donations, will cause you to spend more time on that, then actually campaigning. Since the election that is something that I will think very hard about doing should I ever jump into a race again.