03/29/06 End-the-war-now People Spend More

A sizeable difference was evident in the bottom lines of campaign finance reports filed Tuesday at the Madison City Clerk's Office by anti-war referendum opponents and supporters.

The Bring the Troops Home committee, which supports a yes vote on the April 4 referendum question in Madison, raised $12,036.29 from Jan. 1 through March 23, spending $7,682.25.

Adding the $4,725.30 raised and $2,908.24 spent in 2005, the total contributions to that cause equal $16,761.59, with spending at $10,586.49. The committee had a cash balance of $6,171.10.

The Vote No To Cut and Run committee, which supports a no vote, raised $3,211.98 -- nearly a third from one contributor -- and spent $2,367.51, leaving a cash balance of $844.47.

The referendum support committee's largest contributor was Bill Adamski, a Department of Natural Resources employee, who gave $1,735. A $1,500 contribution came from the Yip Harburg Foundation, of New York, which awards grants of up to $3,000 for programs promoting world peace, social and economic justice and other causes. Harburg was a successful lyricist, writing 537 songs, including "It's Only a Paper Moon," "Over the Rainbow," and "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime."

Joe Deane made in-kind contributions totaling $1,486.25 for printing at Lakeside Press, explaining his donation with "they can't do it on only a wish and a prayer."

From other organizations, the Bring the Troops Home group got $600 from Veterans for Peace, Madison Area Peace Coalition gave $500, another $600 came from the Democratic Party of Dane County, $300 cash and $1,995.68 in in-kind contributions from the Wisconsin Center for Peace and Justice. (The WCPG donation covered office space and ten hours a week of staff.) The teachers union, Madison Teachers Inc. gave $250.

To the Vote No to Cut and Run campaign, retired chiropractor Ken Luedtke contributed $1,020; the late Tom Metcalf, a Monona businessman and former mayor, contributed $500; and retired Mount Horeb resident Steven Haroldson gave $300. Mount Horeb residents Charles Himsel and Rick Skindrud each donated $100, as did Carol Skorupan, of Madison.

"There are some people who have stepped up, and some (contributions) have just come after the last deadline. I would say that it is true there are a number of Republicans, but not all. We have guys who have served (in Iraq), and there are Democrats and union members, too. I really don't think of this as a partisan issue," he said.

He said his group has worked closely with volunteers in Watertown, Mount Horeb and Monona organizing support for a no vote.

The Madison referendum, one of 31 similar resolutions and questions on Tuesday ballots around the state, reads: "Resolved: The United States shall bring all military personnel home from Iraq now."

The campaign finance reports are on file at the City Clerk's Office, and are also available at the clerk's Web site: www.ci.madison.wi.us/clerk.