It’s old news that more money means more successful bids to become San Jose’s mayor, but District 3 Councilmember and mayoral-hopeful Raul Peralez has already racked up thousands in unpaid bills during his first six months campaigning.
After questions first materialized about flashy Youtube announcements in June, Peralez’s committee reportedly accrued $14,280 in production expenses.
Nothing’s been paid yet, since campaign contributions from supporters can’t be collected until 180 days before a primary election—a 2007 rule meant to assuage elected officials’ influence.
Peralez said he financed the Covid-19 restriction friendly videos with an “IOU” for now—arguing that the city’s policy forcing candidates to personally foot all expenses prior to December effectively disadvantages anyone who doesn't come from wealth or means.
Peralez is the first (and so far only) candidate to file a Form 460, tracking expenses from Jan. 1 to June 30, 2021.
According to campaign filings, funds were handled by Kully Hall LLC, an independent contractor working for Peralez out of Seattle, Washington. The group is connected to KMM Strategies, a team of consultants boasting dozens of successful campaigns and ballot initiatives, including several familiar names in the Bay.
The invoices for video, photography and web services ranged from $770 to $4,000, working with several creatives and organizations in Seattle, San Francisco and Half Moon Bay, as well as Onset Medics, a Novato-based health compliance company.
Oddly, Peralez’s listed payments still tally $1,571 shy of the total unpaid tabs. Maybe that’s the going rate for trying to keep dollar signs legally aligned.
Pretty shady doings for an ex-San Jose Police Officer.
David S. Wall
Unpaid bills and incomplete campaign promises for so many D3 issues. We need more officers on the street – give Raul his uniform back, because he must be more effective as a cop than as a politician.
He was a dullard when he wore a uniform, he remained a dullard when he took a seat on the council, and his seeking the mayor’s job has not made him any smarter. He should be running a janitorial crew, not a city. (By the way, sources claim he was too dumb, back when the PD was paying him a good salary and home prices were relatively reasonable, to become a home owner.)
Let this be a sign to everyone. He approved his own Council pay raise, collects additional income as a reserve officer, and uses city funds to travel on the tax payers’ dime. Yet, he can’t afford to live here and has unpaid campaign debt.
https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/san-jose-councilman-evicted-from-home-of-nine-years-landlord-selling/192127/
If Off the Wall, Oh Honestly and Putanella are all opposed to Peralez, it can only mean one thing: we should really consider him as one of the best candidates in the race. After all, even a schizoid libertarian could recognize that Peralez was one of only three council members to vote against the Bloom Energy exemption to the city’s ban on natural gas use (https://sanjosespotlight.com/bloom-energy-sues-santa-clara-over-permits-for-a-second-time/#comment-61273), an exemption that will damage our physical environment and our health. On the other hand, Bloom’s lead lobbyist, Carl Guardino, was prominently featured at the launch of the Cindy Chavez mayoral campaign (https://sanjosespotlight.com/cindy-chavez-confirms-worst-kept-secret-shes-running-for-san-jose-mayor). What’s the likelihood that a Chavez administration would reverse the exemption versus a Peralez administration?
its pretty clear sji is against him too, with that image selection
unflattering is generous
He’s toast. Cindy and her labor minions will buy him off. Probably by paying his debts.