By the Numbers: Local Candidates’ Donors
Campaign sign in Easley, S.C.
In the absence of any other meaningful information about candidates, one is forced to do things like look up the donors to their campaigns. It’s easy enough to find this information via the Supervisor of Elections website. What is not certain is what it means.
Take the property appraiser’s race for instance. For what reason does someone have a dog in this fight? Are any of us really enthused about our local County Property Appraiser? Or hate him? And why is this an elected position, anyway? Couldn’t the County Commission just hire a Propery Appraiser, the way they hire a county manager and county attorney? While in South Carolina on vacation, I actually saw a campaign sign for “Coroner”, and wondered what the difference was between Republican and Democrat coroner. But I digress.
Incumbent Property Appraiser Ed Crapo has raised a lot more money than his challenger, but that is not news. Incumbents have a much easier time getting support because donors like to bet on a winner, and he has a long list of past supporters. And Mr. Crapo’s list is a list of pillars of the community, realtors, and apartment complexes. Apartment complexes? Why would apartment complexes, that shell out a lot of property taxes, get on board a property appraiser’s campaign in large enough numbers to be noticeable? Check out the list here.
Then there is the upstart who is opposing Mr. Crapo, Alonzo Victor Perkins. There is no website full of campaign boiler plate for Mr. Perkins, so all we have are these numbers so far. The recognizable names on this list include candidates for other offices, Chuck Chestnut and Janie Williams. But the only othr noticeable thing is the three funeral homes that made donations. What axe to grind could funeral homes have for the current appraiser? Maybe none, but you might want to call them and ask. Here’s Mr. Perkins donor list.
Until the candidates give us more information, this is pretty much all we have to go on. It may have to be enough.
HAS ANYONE ACTUALLY READ THESE LISTS?!!
i find it interesting that mr. crapo has a bunch of contributors that are apartment complexes, rental companies, construction companies, and developers… now why do you think THAT is? could an appraiser somehow make a difference with their businesses?
and mr. perkins seems to have the support of fellow appraisers.
interesting, no?
1It’s interesting, but it’s all conjecture without some specific complaint. Mr. Perkins has not made a case against Mr. Crapo for any kind of shenanigans, and it’s his job to do so if he knows anything.
The challenger is challenging for a reason. Laying low and counting on some sort of whispering campaign is not fair to the incumbent. If Mr. Perkins has something to say about this support and whether or not it’s appropriate, he should say so.
2