Donations to School Bond Get a Slow Start

Published: Monday, August 11, 2008 2:00 PM PDT

PRINT     E-MAIL STORY    SHARE

FACEBOOK

REDDIT

NEWSVINE

DIGG

DEL.ICIO.US

BLINKLIST

Proponents of the new San Diego Unified facilities bond pulled in few donations before June 30, despite garnering more than $100,000 in pledged donations earlier in the year.

The campaign committee, Education and Children First, had received just a single cash donation of $10,000 and more than $40,000 in donated services by June 30, when it was required to report its contributions. By then, the campaign had spent more than $100,000, leaving it almost $60,000 in debt.

It owes more than $51,000 in consulting fees to the Primacy Group, campaign consultant Larry Remer's company.

School board president Katherine Nakamura, a member of Education and Children First, said more donations have flowed to the campaign since June 30. Now that the bond measure is a reality, promises to donate should translate into real donations, Nakamura said.

"The question is how they materialize and when," Nakamura said.

-- EMILY ALPERT