Four years ago, Mark C. Poloncarz was the financial underdog taking on a wealthy incumbent, Chris Collins, in the race for Erie County executive.

Early in that 2011 contest, Poloncarz had about $104,000 in his political war chest. Collins, on the other hand, had $1.6 million – actually $1.625 million.

Today, as Poloncarz seeks re-election after defeating his better-funded opponent, he’s the one with 10 times the money of his challenger – although on a different scale.

As of mid-July, Poloncarz had $646,000 in his campaign fund, compared with the $52,000 amassed by his Republican opponent, Amherst Assemblyman Raymond Walter.

What a difference four years makes.

Not only is Poloncarz far ahead in the money race, he’s also now getting money from donors who previously supported Collins.

“It’s completely different than it was four years ago,” said Jennifer Hibit, Poloncarz’s campaign manager in 2011 and today. “As with any race, with an elected official, it is easier when you are in the spot. People are able to see what he’s done in office. He has broad support.”

Walter, meanwhile, says he’s pleased with his own fundraising, which, he said, didn’t get started until May.

“The momentum is building,” Walter said. “We’re fundraising at a faster pace. We are in fine shape and where we would like to be. I don’t think we are in any different of a position than Mark was four years ago. He doesn’t have enough money to bury me on the airwaves.”

What’s more, Nicholas A. Langworthy, the GOP county chairman, said the Republican Party’s wallet will be open for Walter. “We will make sure he has enough money,” Langworthy said.

Money, after all, can help win a race.

But as Poloncarz found in 2011, it’s not always a bellwether of the outcome. Collins spent twice as much as Poloncarz in the 2011 campaign that Poloncarz won, spending reports show.
Joseph, Paladino are top backers
Poloncarz’s biggest financial backers so far this political season are Amherst developer Michael L. Joseph and Buffalo developer Carl P. Paladino, according to state Board of Elections campaign finance reports.

Joseph and his companies, the reports show, have contributed some $34,000 to Poloncarz’s re-election campaign over the past year. Paladino and his companies have contributed $20,500.

Joseph also supported Poloncarz in 2011, when he and his companies donated $24,000 to the Democratic candidate. “Mike supports a lot of Democratic candidates,” Hibit said of Joseph.

But Paladino is new to the Poloncarz camp.

“I support good government and I believe Mark did a great job during the big storm last year,” Paladino said.

Paladino, in fact, is among a handful of Poloncarz’s biggest financial supporters this campaign season who contributed to Collins – but not Poloncarz – four years ago. Paladino gave Collins $18,000 during the 2011 campaign.

Similarly, the Buffalo law firm of Mosey Persico, which has contributed $11,500 to Poloncarz’s re-election bid, gave Collins $7,500 during the 2011 campaign and another $10,000 in the two years leading up to the 2011 race.

Harris Beach, a Pittsford-based law firm that contributed $63,500 to Collins from 2007 to 2011, also gave $10,000 to Poloncarz this year. That’s in addition to another $10,500 Harris Beach gave Poloncarz since the incumbent Democrat became county executive in 2012, according to campaign finance reports.

Harris Beach, like Mosey Persico, does business with Erie County.

Mosey Persico received $2.5 million since Poloncarz took office in 2012 for legal work done for Erie County, according to the county Comptroller’s Office.

Harris Beach received $46,900 from Erie County since January 2012. That’s in addition to the hundreds of thousands of dollars Harris Beach receives annually as attorney for the Erie County Industrial Development Agency. Harris Beach was appointed IDA attorney when Collins was county executive, and has kept the position during the Poloncarz administration.

Harris Beach did not respond to a call for comment.

Another major contributor to Poloncarz’s current campaign is Clough Harbor & Associates, an Albany-based consulting engineering firm, which donated $9,500 to the Democrat’s re-election campaign. The firm has done $1.24 million in work for Erie County since Poloncarz took office.

Hibit, Poloncarz’s campaign manager, was asked about contributions from companies that do business with Erie County.

There’s no connection between contributions and contracts, she said. Contracts are bid, and all developers have to play by the rules, she said.

In the 2011 race, Poloncarz got a lot of support from unions – everyone from the Healthcare Workers and Boilermakers to police, fire, and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

Poloncarz received some union support this year, notably $1,050 from AFSCME and $6,850 from the Building & Construction Trades Council. But the union support is not yet at the level it was in 2011. Hibit said additional union support is expected in coming weeks.

“Unions are in the process of making endorsements now,” Hibit said. “He went to four or five union endorsement meetings.”
Poloncarz ‘spending too much’
Walter’s biggest donor, as of mid-July, was the Erie County Republican Party, which contributed $10,000 to his county executive campaign.

Walter’s second-biggest contribution is $4,000 from the Empire State American Building & Contractors Political Action Committee, based in East Syracuse.

The two are among 11 contributions of $1,000 or more Walter has received so far.

His $1,000 contributors include the Clarence Republican Committee, the Damon Morey law firm, Erie County Clerk Christopher L. Jacobs and State Sen. Michael H. Ranzenhofer, R-Amherst.

Walter said his fundraising didn’t start until a few months ago, and has continued since the last campaign filing July 15. He said he’s getting contributions ranging from $25 to $1,000 from individuals and businesses unhappy with the direction Erie County is currently going.

“The more we get our message out, the better we are doing fundraising,” he said. “In general,” Walter added, “the (Poloncarz) administration is out of step with everyday voters in Erie County. They are spending too much and there’s not much to show for it.”

Walter’s contributors, he said, also include some of his Legislature colleagues in Albany.
Walter not concerned
The Poloncarz campaign had $416,920 in January, and raised another $318,233 through mid-July, according to July 2015 campaign finance reports. The campaign spent $88,818 during the period, leaving $646,335 in Poloncarz’s campaign fund as of July 15, the records show.

Poloncarz’s campaign expenses during this time included $10,800 for polling done by a Washington, D.C.-based company.

Walter’s first contributions for his county executive race are dated in April. He raised almost $56,000 by mid-July, and spent almost $3,600 between April and mid-July. His campaign had $52,360 remaining in mid-July. His major expenses – representing $3,100 – during those three months were for two fundraisers, one in Williamsville and another in Albany.

Walter expressed confidence he’ll have enough money to get his message out, and said he’s not concerned with the current disparity in money between his campaign and that of Poloncarz.

“It doesn’t concern me at all,” he said. “He had four years, and raised $400,000,” Walter said, referring to the amount of money Poloncarz had in January. “That’s not an impressive amount.”

What’s more, GOP chairman Langworthy pointed out that in recent history, the highest spending candidates haven’t always won.

Incumbent Dennis T. Gorski, he said, outspent Joel A. Giambra in 1999 when Giambra won the county executive race. And Collins – now a congressman – spent $1.3 million in his failed 2011 county executive campaign compared to $642,000 spent by Poloncarz, spending reports show.

“We do not need to match Mark Poloncarz dollar for dollar to be successful,” Langworthy said.

Hibit, Poloncarz’s campaign manager, agreed it takes more than money to win a campaign.

“I am the first to admit,” she said, “that money is not the only thing that matters. There’s certainly more to a campaign than money.

“But,” she continued, “it’s a countywide race, with 920,000 people in Erie County, and it takes a lot to communicate with people. And $50,000 isn’t going to go very far,” she said, referring to Walter’s money.

What’s more, she said, “a lot of people like the work the county executive has done, and want him to continue.”