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A committee dubbed “Citizens to Keep Crescent City Safe and Strong” has raised and spent more than $20,000 on behalf of a proposed 1 percent sales tax increase for public safety, according to recent campaign finance reports.

Spearheaded by Crescent City, Measure S is a general sales tax measure that, if successful, would generate $1.3 million to be used for fire, police, road maintenance and to keep the city’s swimming pool operating.

A similar measure, Measure R, would increase sales tax in the county by 1 percent for public safety if successful. But a committee hasn’t been established on its behalf, Del Norte County Clerk-Recorder Alissia Northrup told the Wild Rivers Outpost on Monday.

According to Northrup, Del Norte County District 1 Supervisor Roger Gitlin has led a small effort opposing Measure S. He is behind signs urging a no vote on the tax increase, Northrup said. However, she said, he is not forming a committee.

According to Northrup, candidates or committees planning on spending or receiving $2,000 or more must report their contributions and expenditures to the public.

Candidates competing for seats in the Nov. 3 general election must have filed their campaign finance reports by Oct. 22, according to Northrup.

Of the three contested races on the local ballot, only Lori Cowan and Valerie Starkey, contenders in the runoff election for Del Norte County District 2 supervisor, have filed finance reports, Northrup said.

Alex Campbell, one of six candidates vying for three seats on the Crescent City Council, started to fill out a campaign finance form, but hadn’t finished it, Northrup said. The other candidates hadn’t reached the threshold requiring them to disclose their campaign donations or expenditures, she said.

“Citizens to Keep Crescent City Safe and Strong — Yes on Measure S,” whose treasurer is Matthew Wakefield, raised $26,532 in cash contributions between July 1 and Oct. 17. During that same time frame, the committee spent $24,425 and currently has an ending cash balance of $2,107.

Its largest contributions come from the Crescent City Fire and Rescue Firefighters Association, which donated $15,000 on Aug. 27 and $3,000 Oct. 1. Donations of $1,000 each came from The Mail Room, Patricia Brunsing, Diana Clark, Karen Davis, Bill Cochran and Christine Owen and Kevin Hartwick.

The Crescent City Police Officers Association donated $500 to the “Citizens to Keep Crescent City Safe and Strong,” as did Jan Gillespie and local State Farm agent Lisa McKeown.

“Citizens to Keep Crescent City Safe and Strong’s” largest expense was $19,404.62 to TBWBH Props & Measures, a consulting firm from Berkeley, Calif.

The committee advocating for Measure S also spent $2,232 in advertising through Bicoastal Media and $2,696.73 for signs through Del Norte Office Supply and Brookings-based In Motion Graphics.

Through TBWBH Props & Measures, “Citizens to Keep Crescent City Safe and Strong” spent $1,275 for digital media, $574 for printing and supplies and $500 for database services through Political Data Inc.

TBWBH Props & Measures is also the subcontractor to PlanWest Partners which is working under professional services agreement not-to-exceed $39,900 with Crescent City to conduct an informational outreach campaign on the tax measure ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

The Crescent City Council, following a presentation from TBWBH Props & Measures representative Joy Kummer in August, approved spending an additional $3,500 on a digital media campaign for Measure S.

If approved by a 50 percent-plus-one majority of Crescent City voters, Measure S would increase the tax rate within city limits from 7.5 percent to 8.5 percent through 2022. After 2022 — when a sales tax benefitting the Del Norte County Fairgrounds sunsets — the city’s tax rate would decrease to 8.25 percent.

The $1.3 million the proposed tax increase generates would be used to help create a hybrid fire department using paid staff and volunteers. It would allow the Crescent City Police Department to ensure patrol officers are on duty for each shift and would be used to fix potholes, resurface streets and install and repair sidewalks. Revenue the tax generates would also keep the Fred Endert Municipal Pool open.

In the runoff race for Del Norte County District 2 supervisor, Starkey’s contributions for the period between Sept. 20 and Oct. 18 outpaced Cowan’s, the incumbent in the race. Stakre’s expenditures for the same time period, however, was less than her opponent’s.

Starkey received $6,280 in campaign contributions between Sept. 20 and Oct. 18, according to her campaign finance report. Her campaign spent $1,745.61 including a non-monetary adjustment of $630.

Since Jan. 1, 2020, Starkey’s campaign took in $12,966 in contributions and spent a total of $8637.45, according to her Form 460. As of Oct. 22, her campaign had an ending cash balance of $4,626.94.

Starkey’s largest donors include SEIU Local 2015, which represents In-Home Supportive Services providers, and contributed $2,000. California Laborers for Equality and Progress donated $1,500 to Starkey’s campaign on Oct. 8. Laborer’s International Union of North America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 551, of Santa Rosa, donated $1,000 each.

Starkey also received a total of $630 in non-monetary contributions. Non-monetary donations to Starkey includes a window advertising display worth $250 in a building owned by Tony Barnes, of TAB & Associates.

Stephanie Alexandre, of Alexandre Family Farms, contributed a “breakfast feast for volunteers” worth $200, according to Starkey’s campaign finance reports.

Starkey’s largest expenditures include $399 to BiCoastal Media for advertising and $716.61 in unitemized payments of less than $100.

Between Sept. 20 and Oct. 17, Cowan used $2,312 of her own money to finance her campaign. She also received a $400 cash donation from Del Norte Tire Services and a donation of mailers worth $330 from the Del Norte Republican Party.

Since Jan. 1, 2020, Cowan’s campaign raised $14,974.19 in contributions, of which $5,732.19 were loans and $3,720 were non-monetary donations. Cowan’s campaign had an ending cash balance of $426.37 as of Oct. 22, according to her campaign reports.

Between Sept. 20 and Oct. 17, Cowan’s largest expenditures were $1,197 to KPOD LLC for radio advertising, $900 to Triplicate owners Country Media Inc. for newspaper advertising and $215 to Terry’s Wearable Art for campaign signs.

Last month, nearly 50 signs belonging to her campaign were stolen from yards, ripped or slashed and discarded. Cowan told the Wild Rivers Outpost her campaign had spent thousands of dollars on those signs.

Though Election Day is a week away, a stream of voters have been bringing their ballots to the Del Norte County Elections Office, Northrup said.

“It feels like it is more and it feels like it’s earlier,” she told the Outpost, though she doesn’t know exactly how many are walking their ballots into the elections office versus dropping it in the mail.

Voters can also take their ballots to drop boxes at the Del Norte Senior Center, 1765 Northcrest Drive in Crescent City, or to the Crescent City Hall, 377 J Street.

Polling places in Del Norte County’s 18 precincts will be open on Election Day and Northrup said she’s still looking for extra help. In addition to normal poll workers, a COVID Officer will work in partnership with the Del Norte County Office of Emergency Services to ensure voters are masked, have access to hand sanitizer and are socially distanced.

According to Northrup, the COVID Officer and poll workers will receive a stipend for their service on Election Day.

“It’s great for young people they can put it on their college resumes and work resumes,” she said, adding that young blood is needed the 2020 election more than ever. “A lot of older poll workers opted to sit this one out. It’s time for the next generation to step up.”

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