{"id":37650,"date":"2015-10-06T12:08:37","date_gmt":"2015-10-06T16:08:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/raleighpublicrecord.org\/?p=37650"},"modified":"2015-10-06T17:22:47","modified_gmt":"2015-10-06T21:22:47","slug":"taverns-triumph-over-tenants-in-campaign-donations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/2015-election\/2015\/10\/06\/taverns-triumph-over-tenants-in-campaign-donations\/","title":{"rendered":"Taverns Triumph Over Tenants in Campaign Donations"},"content":{"rendered":"

Editor’s Note: This article originally ran yesterday under the headline “Tenants Trump Taverns in Campaign Donations.” The premise, that those in favor of further night life restrictions downtown had donated more than those against the restrictions, was incorrect\u00a0and based on an incomplete analysis of campaign finance reports. We also incorrectly listed Player’s Retreat as a donor. It was one of their employees. A re-analysis has been completed<\/a>, although it is possible there are a few small donors missing from each “side.”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

A recent claim that bar owners have an outsize voice in shaping the future of downtown Raleigh is bolstered by\u00a0an analysis of campaign finance records through September 30 for the 2015 council and mayoral races.<\/p>\n

Bar and restaurant owners throughout Raleigh have donated a total of $26,890 to a total of 10 candidates for mayor and city council this election cycle.<\/p>\n

The number goes up to $27,490 when a $500 contribution from Devan Patel, who plans to build a hotel in downtown Raleigh, and a $100 contribution from the NC Lodging and Restaurant Institution, are included.<\/p>\n

\"raisedpiechart\"<\/p>\n

Those who have publicly come out in favor of more restrictions on downtown night life donated a total of $14,100 to five candidates over the same period,\u00a0or slightly more than\u00a0half the amount spent by their opponents.<\/p>\n

“Raleigh Residents Are Being Left Out of the Conversation”<\/strong><\/p>\n

Last week, the political action committee Wake Citizens for Good Government kicked off a media campaign focusing on the downsides of Raleigh’s growing bar scene. Chaired and funded to the tune of $30,000 by\u00a0Public Policy Polling CEO Dean Debnam, the campaign is known for coining the term “DrunkTown.”<\/p>\n

The ads claimed that Raleigh residents were being left out of the conversation on the future growth of the downtown core, and that bar owners had an outsize voice in shaping this future.<\/p>\n

\"drunktownclip\"

A portion of an ad that ran in the News & Observer last week<\/p><\/div>\n

Reliable figures for the cost of this campaign, or for promotional and get out the vote efforts conducted\u00a0by competing groups such as Keep Raleigh Vibrant, were not available for analysis.<\/p>\n

In addition to the Wake Citizens PAC, campaign finance records show that Debnam was the largest contributor in favor of more restrictions, and that he has contributed\u00a0 a total of $10,100 to four political candidates in 2015.<\/p>\n

These\u00a0donations included $1,000 to Councilor Bonner Gaylord District E, $2,000 to Mayor Nancy McFarlane, $2,000 to District A Challenger Dickie Thompson and $5,100 to Councilor Russ Stephenson, At-Large.<\/p>\n

Gaylord voted against a restriction on sidewalk dining in August, while both Stephenson and McFarlane voted in favor.<\/p>\n

Greg Hatem, a\u00a0Fayetteville Street\u00a0resident, the owner of Empire Eats and Empire Properties and a known proponent for a quieter downtown, donated $3,000 to three separate campaigns.<\/p>\n

Hatem donated $1,000 each to the campaigns of Gaylord, Stephenson and Thompson.<\/p>\n

Will Marks, a downtown resident and a vocal advocate for both outdoor dining and outdoor noise restrictions, donated a total of $2,000, split evenly between Stephenson and Kay Crowder, District D.<\/p>\n

Note: Hatem and Marks are both members of a group named the Fayetteville Street District Community Action Group, which has worked to advocate for\u00a0both noise and sidewalk dining restrictions.<\/p>\n

Keeping Raleigh Vibrant
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Given the amount of night life options in downtown Raleigh, it should come as little surprise that more than 30 restaurant and bar owners have contributed nearly\u00a0$30,000 to various council and mayoral campaigns.<\/p>\n

\"keepraleighvibrant\"<\/p>\n

The final number we’ve come up with \u2014 $27,490 \u2014 is based on an analysis of campaign finance records and, as we mentioned includes two non-restaurant donations. We only counted contributions from owners or investors in restaurants and bars, and not regular employees. There were some restaurateurs excluded from this figure, which we will address below.<\/p>\n

The largest donor\u00a0has been Niall Henley, owner of the Hibernian and the Raleigh Beer Garden. Henley donated $2,500 each to Baldwin, Smith and Tomasulo and $1,000 to JB Buxton for a total of $8,500.<\/p>\n

For a full list of the donors we took into account for this article, please check the spreadsheet<\/a>\u00a0below, which also lists PAC donations to most candidates.<\/p>\n