Ivette Arango O’Doski, Alex Bucelo have the most funds in their groups
The campaign funding trend in the Coral Gables election continues to favor Ivette Arango O’Doski in Group 4 and Alex Bucelo in Group 5. Both have topped $100,000 as of Feb. 28, according to the latest campaign finance reports available online.
And just absentee or mail-in ballots are about to be sent out.
Arango O’Doski collected just over $24,000 in February for a total of $106,480 in her campaign account. At least $5,000 was in bundled $500 donations from 10 companies tied to developer Sergio Pino.
Alex Bucelo took in another $22K last month for a total of $109,875. He also has a PAC, Friends of the Gables, that has collected more than $144,000 since last summer, mostly from real estate development interests, and $10,000 from lobbyist Les Pantin. Ladra could not find any political action committees tied to Arango O’Doski, a lobbyist, also has a ton of lobbyist money and more than 10 checks from PACs.
Read related: Coral Gables commission candidates on traffic, development, resiliency, mobility
Gables Mayor Vince Lago, however, has a PAC with a balance of $708,756 in it, as of Feb. 28. That includes $37,500 raised for Coral Gables First just in February. Of that, $10K is from Pantin and $5,000 each from the Calta Group — developers of luxury residential — and healthcare mogul Mike Fernandez. Other contractors and developers also gave.
And since Lago won re-election automatically without a challenge, he can spend his PAC funds on his chosen candidates: Arango O’Doski and Bucelo.
In fact, Ladra bets he goes all out for them to win because he thinks they’ll give him the three votes he needs to do whatever he wants.
And while Bucelo raised a few thousand more, he has also spent way more. Arango O’Doski has more in hand — $98,418 to his $76,480.
Read related: Coral Gables Vince Lago is running slate of candidates in April election
But Bucelo still has more than Ariel Fernandez has in his campaign account, which shows he’s raised $18,870 and spent $5,513.
In the Group 4 race, Melissa Castro, a permit expediter has raised $9,350, property owner Jackson “Rip” Holmes has raised $1,215 and Sean Patrick McGrover, an investment consultant, has raised $3,340.
Money doesn’t always win races, but it is often a sign of support from the community and it helps campaigns get their message across.
Voters should expect a flurry of political mail this week.
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More money pours into Coral Gables commission races, two distinct leaders added by Ladra on
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[…] lobbyist son, btw, is Les Pantin, who donates heavily to the Lago and Bucelo campaigns. Pantin gave $10,000 to Bucelo’s PAC earlier this […]
Elaine, PLEASE report on the massive rift between Ariel Fernandez and Chief Ed Hudak, the fact that Fernandez has openly and in writing threatened to bring back Frank Fernandez to oversee Hudak. That is THE story of this election – the choice on the ballot. A vote for Fernandez is vote against Hudak.
Alex Bucelo and Ivette Arango will CORRUPT the “City Beautiful.”
THEY ARE TELLING LIES AND YOU ARE FEEDING ONTO THEM
OVER DEVELOPMENT WILL BE VOTED FOR 4/4 SINCE LAGO IS THEIR PUPPET MASTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CANT WAIT FOR THE SHOW THEY’LL PUT ON FOR US.
If it is not Castro and Ariel IM OUT. Maybe then RIP can bring the Kendall ducks to the Gables!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So much of that money is either form out of town, or from a small number of firms controlled by the same people. It’s not, in this case, a sign of any grass-roots support.
Bucelo is paying people to call pretending to be supporters. They claim he’s anti-development. I’m quite sure that isn’t what his funders are paying for.
Ariel Fernandez is a David Rivera crony. He has used his blog to spread misinformation and also to attempt to create political advantages for his paying consulting clients in the past. His website should be called the Gables GRANMA. Last election his paying client was Joe Carollo crony/relative Javier Banos who lost like Fernandez always loses. Now he is running his own campaign while moonlighting as an independent journalist? Conflict, much? Leave the real journalism to Ladra. Does Coral Gables want David Rivera/Joe Carollo-brand politics? Fernandez harasses and antagonizes City staff people and has an infamous temper. He has directly threatened the Police Chief Hudak in writing to bring back Frank Fernandez to oversee public safety. Just ASK Hudak for it. His election would result in absolute chaos at City Hall including the likely resignation of the City Manager, the Police Chief and many more decent employees. Meanwhile, Alex Bucelo ran a strong and decent campaign last election, he has since then served on the City’s most critical board for the last two years gaining invaluable experience as it relates to the City’s complex zoning code. While people are giving him a hard time over Lago’s endorsement, no elected official has been tougher on development over the last 8 years than Lago and anyway Lago didn’t endorse him last election. Bucelo is his own man, has gained experience and earned support, and there is room on the dais for a younger candidate. It says A LOT that every single member of the current Commission and basically every past Commission is endorsing Bucelo, even though Fernandez WORKED on the prior campaigns of both Lago and Anderson. No one who has ever endured the misfortune of working with Fernandez would ever support him. Even his own founding partner at Gables Granma (I mean Insider) resigned because of Fernandez’s conduct. Why? Because he does not have the temperament or leadership skills required of the job. Voters have always rejected him. They must do so again.
O’doski was walking my area, we talked briefly. She stated that she is anti-development, lie # 1. She stated she works for her families decorating business, lie # 2. She sated she is non-partisan, lie # 3. Typical politician, believing the public will be uninformed, which unfortunately is true. So essentially her potentiality to thrive in a system designed for deceit is apparent. She and Bucelo will probably win, Lago will then have 2 bought and paid for puppets, then the numerous lobbyist will get their projects, not the residents or business as usual.
Keep Adding to TEAM CORRUPTION ? DON’T Worry Katherine Won’t INVESTIGATE !
4 SALE “or” 4 RENT Politicians in Coral Gables ? * A LAY AWAY of Future AGENDAS !$$$$$
Dime con quien andas ……
Wake up, Coral Gables!
2 puppets of Lago so he can continue doing very little for the residents while letting developers do what they want.
No wonder many developer-friendly Gables residents, like one prominent local architect who just finished building his mansion across from The Biltmore Hotel, have thrown their support to these two. As long as individuals like Vince Lago and their ilk keep getting voted into office, it will be almost impossible for our City Beautiful to keep the essence that’s made it the South Florida gem it is today.
Agree as far as money does not always win races but it helps a hell of a lot and more so in local and state elections where often the candidates with least money are barely covered by local news.
I do not see funds as support by the community but more as support from special interest .
As the article says Vince Lago has a vested interest in certain candidates as now no opposition and hope voters see this or developers will be the only winners .