City Council candidates have raised more than $75,000 this election season, nearly all of which was brought in by the incumbents.

According to the candidates' campaign finance disclosure statements posted by the city, the largest money raiser so far has been Councilmember Barbra Williamson, who has brought in $34,449 since July 1.

The city's campaign finance regulations state that funds for this year's election may be raised from Jan. 1, 2007 through Dec. 31, 2008.

Contributions to candidates running for local office are capped at $1,000 (with the exception of a candidate's personal funds), and any donations over that amount must be returned to the donor within 15 business days.

However, if a business makes a $1,000 donation to a candidate, individuals associated with that company can still make their own contributions up to $1,000 as long as it comes from their personal funds and not the business's funds, assistant city manager Dan Paranick said.

For example, one of Williamson's biggest donors was The Vineyards, an indoor and outdoor event venue located on Stow Street. She received a total of $1,000 from The Vineyards as well as $1,000 each from the owner and the chief financial officer.

Other donors to Williamson's campaign included two developers from general engineering contractor C. A. Rasmussen Inc. (a total of $2,000), Simi company Mold Precision Engineering ($1,000), and Thousand Oaks-based real estate development firm Colton Lee Communities ($1,000), developer of the Tapo Street Promenade.

Sojka comes in about $10,000 behind Williamson with a total of $25,058 raised so far this election season.

His biggest contributors included Tarzana Treatment Center's Chief Operating Officer Albert Senella ($1,000), law firm Gonzalez & Robinson Corp. ($1,000), C.A. Industrial Group Corp. ($1,000), and Attorney Scott Taylor for Woodlake Law Corp. ($1,000).

Sojka also received smaller donations from Planning Commissioner Mary Bibb, who is listed as the campaign manager for Elton Gallegly ($400), Ventura-based California Wood Recycling ($300), Amgen marketing director Paul Reider ($250), Countrywide CFO Paul Szymanksi ($150), and from Simi Valley Recycling Center, which is owned by Wade and Debra Schlosser  ($500).

To date, Paul Miller has raised $15,824. Some of his largest donations came from cemetery consultant Robert Levonian of LCB & Associates ($1,000), Simi business park management firm Mid Valley Properties ($1,000), Developer Jonathon Friedman of Jenstreet Properties ($250), Simi Chamber of Commerce CEO Leigh Nixon ($250), Greta's Guns ($250), and Amgen CPA James Robison ($250).

All the incumbents received $500 from the Ventura County Lincoln Club, an organization that supports and donates to "mainstream Republican candidates and causes," according to its website. In addition, they each received $250 from Anderson Rubbish Disposal, one of the city's franchised waste haulers.

Their largest shared contributor, however, is P.W. Gillibrand Co., a sand and gravel dealer located near Tapo Street, which gave each incumbent $1,000 for their campaigns.

Sojka and the mayor both received $1,000 from investor (and Big Sky developer) Isaac Moradi of ICO Investment Group. And Ventura County Supervisor Peter Foy gave $250 to Miller's campaign and $200 to Sojka's.

Both Miller and Williamson received late contributions this week from the Service Employees International Union—which includes healthcare, public services and property services workers—in the amount of $500.

Such late contributions received before the date of the election must be reported to the city clerk within 24 hours of receipt.

The mayor and Williamson also each received a total of $2,000 from developer Peter Kiesecker, owner of Irvine-based Pacific Kies Land Development, and his wife, Belinda. Kiesecker also sits on the board of directors for the Simi Valley Community Foundation.

Oakridge Athletic Club gave Miller and Williamson each $500.

This year's challengers have raised far less than the current seatholders, with none taking in more than $1,000 so far.

Mayoral candidate Bruce Witkin is the only challenger who reported any contributions: just $600. He said he used most of the money to buy campaign signs.

Paranick explained that candidates do not have to report contributions if they've received less than $1,000. Many of the challengers told the Simi Valley Acorn when they entered the race that they planned on running thrifty campaigns costing less than $1,000.

Williamson, Sojka and Miller all started their campaigns with positive balances in their committees' pocketbooks, from funds that were received prior to July 1.

So far in this election period, Williamson has spent $10,713, Sojka has spent $12,272, and Miller has spent the most at $20,763.

To view each council candidate's full disclosure statement for the first filing period, which ended Sept. 30, visit www .simivalley.org and click on the "What's New" tab. Statements are also available at City Hall.

The second filing period for campaign contributions (Oct. 118) should be up on the city's website by the end of the month, and contributions received after Oct. 19 but before Election Day will be reported on a daily basis.

Candidates will turn in a final disclosure statement at the end of the year for all lastminute contributions made from Nov. 4 to Dec. 31.

Campaign finance guidelines

•Contributions are capped at a maximum of $1,000, except for monies coming from a candidate's personal funds. •Funds for the November 2008 election can be raised only from Jan. 1, 2007 through Dec. 31, 2008. •Late contributions of more than $250 that are received before Election Day must be reported to the City Clerk within 24 hours of receipt. •Questions regarding the city's campaign finance ordinance should be directed to the City Clerk's office at (805) 583-6720. •Candidate disclosure statements are available online at www.simivalley.org.