A web of financial support among the candidates
Rosenkilde-Bayne and Romero's finance statements not yet received
As the Nov. 3 general election approaches, campaign contributions for candidates running for Woodland City Council have revealed an interconnected web of community business owners, former elected officials and even council members.
In fact, four of the five council members have donated to the campaigns of others vying for election in other districts. Only Mayor Rich Lansburgh had not donated funds, according to the Aug. 7 to Sept. 19 report.
According to Yolo County’s Supervising Elections Technician Annette Lim, candidates for city offices must file their FPPC campaign finance statements with the City Clerk.
Three seats are up for election in November: District 2, 4 and 5.
In District 2, incumbent Tom Stallard is being challenged by Karen Rosenkilde-Bayne, who served the last four years as a trustee for the Woodland Joint Unified School District.
From Aug. 7 to Sept. 19, Stallard received a total of $8,773 in monetary contributions. While most of Stallard’s individual contributions ranged from $100 to $400, he received $1,000 from Melody Rufer, who is listed in the form as a private philanthropist.
Among the more notable small contributions, however, is $200 from former councilman and mayor, Skip Davies; $250 from former councilman Sean Denny, $150 from current Davis Councilman Will Arnold, who is also seeking reelection.
Stallard also received $5,000 in loans, $13,773 in cash contributions and $779.63 in non-monetary contributions, bringing his total campaign contribution amount to $14,552.63.
City Clerk Ana Gonzalez has not yet received Rosenkilde-Bayne’s finance statement.
In District 4, voters will have to choose between Magda Padilla, a legal analyst for the State Personnel Board, and Victoria Fernandez, a Woodland School District teacher.
According to her finance statement, Padilla has received
$3,406 in monetary contributions.
Like Stallard, most of the individual contributions listed in the statement range from $100 to $400, with the exception of a $750 contribution from Steven and Nancy Sabbadini.
Padilla reported working for the Sabbadini’s law offices in Woodland from 2013 to 2020 — when she joined the Personnel Board — a criminal defense, personal injury, probate and civil law firm. At Sabbadini she drafted legal documents including correspondence, motions and dispositions as well as discovery documents and legal memoranda.
She also managed the firm’s website, filed documents and worked with clients, as well as providing bilingual services when need.
Other notable contributions came from 5th District Councilwoman Xochitl Rodriguez, $100. Rodriguez also loaned Padilla’s campaign $750 while Woodland School Board Trustee Deborah Bautista Zavala loaned Padilla’s campaign $700, which are included in the $1,450 in total loans she received.
Rodriguez announced two months ago she would not be seeking reelection to the council.
In all, Padilla had $4,856 in cash contributions and $3,830 in non-monetary contributions, bringing her total contributions received to $8,686.
Fernandez’s total campaign contributions trail behind both Stallard and Padilla’s. She received $4,485 from July 1 to Sept. 19, broken down into $2895 in monetary contributions, $1,500 in loans, $4,935 in cash contributions and $90 in non-monetary contributions.
Most of Fernandez’s individual reported monetary contributions range between $100 and $250, with the exception of a $500 donation from Alexander Fernandez.
However, among those donations received was $100 from Jesse Ortiz Jr., a retired school board member and Yolo County Superintendent of Schools, $250 from Councilman Tom Stallard, $150 from Councilman Angel Barajas, $200 from her son, Councilman Enrique Fernandez;
$100 from former Woodland High School Principal Evelia Genera, and $100 from Rick Gonzales, who previously headed Yolo Concilio.
If elected, Fernandez will replace her son, Councilman Enrique Fernandez, who made local history during the 2016 District 4 race by becoming one of the city’s youngest council members.
He announced in August that he would not seek reelection.
Candidates Joe Romero and Mayra Vega are seeking the District 5 council position. Romero made two earlier runs for a council position in 2016 and in 2018, both in different districts, and had not turned in his finance statement at last report.
Vega has a background in the healthcare industry and currently works for Sutter Health.
She previously served as director in strategy and business development for Dignity Health from 2017 to 2019, where she created and executed strategic initiatives for Woodland Memorial Hospital and Dignity Health Medical Foundation, coordinating marketing, communications, sales and care teams to achieve strategic growth.
Vega is being supported in her candidacy by Rodriguez, who donated $100 to her campaign.
Vega received a total of $15,575 in contributions, with $10,575 in monetary contributions, $5,000 in loans, $15,575 in cash contributions.
Among Vega’s notable contributors were $2,500 from Paul Petrovich, a major developer in Woodland as well as the Sacramento and Davis areas; and $2,000 from Kyriakos Tsakopoulos, a Roseville businessman and attorney. Vega’s next highest contribution was $1,000 from Gregory Scott, a Beverly Hills resident who is listed as unemployed.
Other notable contributors included $250 from Councilman Stallard, $150 from Councilman Barajas, $100 from Ortiz, $100 from former councilman and Yolo County supervisor Matt Rexroad, and $250 from Skip Davies.