Campaign 2012: Farmers grow Yuba City candidate funding
Contributions from farmers highlight campaign funds listed by Yuba City City Council candidates in filings due by a Thursday deadline and covering most of October.
John Dukes and Kash Gill almost match each other with more than $8,000 worth of contributions to each of their campaigns for Yuba City City Council while Rick Walsh received $5,100.
"It's great that citizens in our town believe in what I'm talking about and are contributing," Walsh said on Friday.
Manuel Quezada farming in Orland contributed $2,000 and Yuba City farmer Avtar Dhillon $1,000 toward Gill's campaign. Dukes received $500 from One World Ranches of La Jolla in San Diego County and $250 from Alfred Montna of Montna Farms in Sutter County. Farmers Gurmej Gill contributed $1,000 and Dalvir Gill $1,250 to Walsh's campaign.
The two Yuba City farmers are not related to Kash Gill.
Kash Gill said Avtar Dhillon owns One World, has about 400 acres in Butte County and a local residence.
Dukes said, "That's the check I was given," of the contribution and its La Jolla address.
"They're local," Dukes added. "It's just one of their companies."
City Councilman Tej Maan said endorsements by municipal police and fire unions are better than campaign contributions.
"People love police and fire. They protect you," Maan said.
But such endorsements can prove problematic when contract negotiations are underway, Maan said, and council members face police and fire representatives to discuss pay and benefits.
Gill said he has won endorsements from police and firefighters, along with the Yuba-Sutter Farm Bureau.
"I'm honored to have the support," he said.
The municipal union support does not affect contract talks, Gill said.
"When it comes down to the table," he said, "We do what's in the best interests of the city."
Candidate Todd Remund has not spent the $1,000 required to report expenditures, according to the city clerks's office.
He said that reflects a campaign that has paid a few hundred dollars for signs and used some banners he made himself.
"Being the new guy — a lot of the big contributors and bigger companies, it's difficult to get contributions," Remund said. "I didn't really pursue that."
