By Moses Leos III
After a slow start, the six candidates vying for two Kyle City Council seats ramped up efforts to improve visibility in the lead up to Saturday’s election.
Five of the six candidates reported spending a combined $5,100 toward political signs in the final reporting period prior to Election Day on May 9. The period lasted from April 1 to April 29.
District 5
Damon Fogley, who is running for the at-large District 5 seat, led all candidates by spending more than $2,700 toward his campaign. That includes an expense of over $2,200 for signage. The remainder went toward printing expenses and web advertising.
The expense for signs and printing all but depleted Fogley’s war chest; he has no remaining contributions in his campaign account.
During the reporting period, Fogley received $445 in contributions, which included $200 from real estate investor David Mahn. Fogley also took out an $800 personal loan in his name.
Meanwhile, Laurie Luttrell, who is fighting Fogley and candidate Jaime Sanchez for the District 5 seat, spent close to $500 on political signs.
Luttrell continued her practice of not accepting any campaign donations.
Sanchez, who reported in April he would not receive political contributions, did not have to file a report.
District 6
In the fight for the single-member District 6 spot, incumbent Tammy Swaton elevated her campaign to keep her seat on the dais.
Swaton reported more than $1,900 in political contributions, including a pair of contributions totaling $1,216 from Kyle citizen David Salazar.
She also received a $500 contribution from Austinite Janie Zuniga. In turn, Swaton spent over $1,300 of her nearly $1,500 in expenditures on signs.
Joining the fray in political expenses was District 6 challenger Daphne Tenorio. After not reporting any expenditures in March, Tenorio followed by reporting an expense of $524 for signs.
Dex Ellison, who is also challenging for the District 6 seat, spent roughly $600 on signs, while the rest went toward printing and advertising expenses.
As of the last day of the reporting period, Ellison had $599 in contributions remaining in his war chest.
