The two candidates for First Selectman are running low-budget races — and as of Oct. 1, had each raised roughly the same amount of money.
Incumbent Robert J. Koskelowski, a Republican, raised $4,035 through the Republican Town Committee since July 1. The town committee had $2,373 on hand at the beginning of the calendar year, which makes the total money taken in $6,408.
Challenger Paul Roy, a Democrat, had raised $5,290 since July 1 through his candidate committee “Paul Roy 2009.”
Read the candidates’ campaign finance disclosures at the bottom of this article.
As of Oct. 1, Koskelowski’s campaign spent $3,051 on the campaign, according to the filing. The expenses include a $1,375 billboard, pamphlets, yard signs and balloons.
Roy’s campaign had spent $2,571 on items like lawn signs, food for fundraisers and office supplies.
Biggest Donations
Koskelowski’s biggest donation came from Republican Selectman John Conroy, who donated $800 to the committee at a fundraiser last month.
Roy’s largest individual donation was $200 from Richard Mancuso, a Danbury resident who works at New England Uniform with Roy.
The Democratic Town Committee also donated $1,000 to Roy’s campaign.
Reaction
The candidates each said they didn’t read too much into the finances.
“To me it’s not that much of an indicator,” Roy said. “I think what you raise depends on how hard you work to raise that money. We’ve been working hard to raise that money to get the message out to people.”
But, Roy said, the similarities in fundraising might indicate the eight-term First Selectman is losing support from voters.
“I think if Bob had raised a whole lot of money, I would say ‘Gee. He’s still pretty popular,” Roy said. “I think probably, we’re fairly equal in popularity.”
Republicans, on the other hand, said their small campaign coffer shows their fiscal responsibility.
“We’re running our finances and our campaign like we run the town,” said Republican Town Committee chairman Bill Paecht. “We’re not just going crazy buying signs and spending tons of money.”
Koskelowski, who said he stays out of the fundraising for the most part, attributed part of the fundraising to the economy.
“With the economy the way it is today, people who donated in the past can not maybe afford to donate today,” Koskelowski said. “But they still support us.”
