Marcello leading way in campaign contributions

The four men running for Brookfield mayor have raised nearly $30,000 for their campaigns since July, according to campaign finance reports filed this week.

Former alderman and Elmbrook School board member David Marcello led the pack, raising $14,695 - including $9,425 of his own money. Alderman Steve Ponto was second with $8,774, including $2,598 from himself and his wife, and incumbent Mayor Jeff Speaker brought in $6,120, all from outside contributors. Waukesha County Supervisor Thomas Schellinger funded his campaign's $3,000 budget out of his own pocket.

The four candidates will square off in Tuesday's primary election. The top two vote-getters advance to the general election April 6.

David Marcello

Marcello, who served as an alderman from 1992 to 1998, received his largest contribution, $386, from Mark Poker, an attorney with Michael, Best and Friedrich law firm in Waukesha.

Other large contributions came from Jeff Clark ($380), an attorney with Milwaukee's Reinhart, Boerner and Van Deuren law firm, and Dan Holzhauer ($250), a Milwaukee orthodontist.

Marcello spent $9,819 from July through Feb. 1, including $1,685 on yard signs and $1,870 on Web page design.

Marcello's campaign finance report said he had $4,876 left in his campaign coffers as of Feb. 1.

Steve Ponto

About $5,900 of Ponto's funds have come in since Jan. 1. Donors included Carl Strohmaier Jr. ($380), president of Menomonee Falls-based Milcut; R. Jeffrey Harris ($387), a private investor; and Irene Eagan ($300), vice president of Milwaukee-based American Dental Professionals.

Ponto also received $100 from James Heinrich, a Waukesha County supervisor and former Brookfield alderman.

Ponto spent $5,178 from July through Feb. 1, including $2,535 on yard signs and related materials.

According to the pre-primary report, Ponto's campaign had a balance of $4,114 on Feb. 1.

Jeff Speaker

Speaker, who is seeking his third four-year term as mayor, has received $6,120 in contributions from donors this year alone. Contributors included Jennifer Donze ($100) and Kevin Wahlgren ($100), both Plan Commission members; David Rayisch ($250) of Plunkett Rayisch Architects; and Michael Lebovitz ($100), an executive with CBL and Associates Properties, which operates the Brookfield Square shopping center.

Other contributors include Jerry Wolff ($25), former Brookfield police chief and alderman; Robert Soerens ($200) of Brookfield's Soerens Ford; and Brian ($380) and Renee ($200) Schecterle of Schecterle Enterprises.

Speaker had $4,821 in his campaign fund at the start of 2010, money left over from his previous mayoral race. City Clerk Kris Schmidt said Speaker reported no contributions or spending on his campaign from July 1 through Dec. 31.

Speaker's largest expense was $294 for materials and invitations.

He had $9,763 left in his campaign fund, according to his finance report.

Thomas Schellinger

Schellinger reported $3,000 worth of income - a credit card payment to himself - and $2,647 in expenditures, including $1,000 for a flier and $1,055 for a postcard mailer, as of Feb. 1.

He had $352 left in his campaign fund, according to his finance report.

By the numbers

How much the mayoral candidates have raised so far, including money candidates have given their own campaigns:

David Marcello: $14,965

Steven Ponto: $8,774

Jeff Speaker: $6,120

Thomas Schellinger: $3,000