20140421-NEWS--0018-NAT-CCI-CD_--
4/18/2014
6:07 PM
Page 1
Page 18
April 21, 2014
CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS
Waiting: Biz takes a wait-and-see approach to county race ■ From Page 1
until around June or July. Brad Williams, vice president of government affairs, said the chamber will continue to evaluate the candidates before the 25-member political action committee board makes an endorsement. Among the chamber’s top issues for candidates are how they will provide core county services while addressing its fiscal situation, and maintaining or improving key transportation infrastructure like Detroit Metropolitan Airport. Ficano faces a number of political minefields. The county’s finances are tenuous, a number of former aides have been convicted or pleaded guilty of bribery or obstruction of justice, and the FBI is investigating Ficano’s administration on allegations of corruption. In addition, the county’s stalled and scrapped jail project on Gratiot Avenue could be a pressure point for voters. The county ended the last fiscal year on Sept. 30 with a $175 million budget deficit, according to a deficit elimination plan presented to the Wayne County Commission in February by Mark Abbo, the coun-
ty’s director of management and budget. The deficit is expected to grow by $30 million this fiscal year, according to the report. Martin Manna, president of the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce, said one of the key issues for county exec candidates to address is safety. There have been five murders of employees at chamber member businesses since November, Manna said. Manna said the chamber will not endorse a candidate but its PAC will likely donate to most of them. “Pretty much everyone has asked for our support,” she said.
The field fills In addition to Ficano and Wild, two others have declared their candidacy: Wayne County Commissioner Kevin McNamara and State Rep. Phil Cavanagh, D-Redford Township. Wild, 45, is the mayor of Westland and owner of Wayne-based Scrap Busters Auto & Truck Parts LLC. He became mayor in 2007 and was re-elected in 2009 and 2013. McNamara, a Democratic coun-
ty commissioner from Belleville since 2006, is the son of longtime county Executive Edward McNamara, who held the office from 1987 until 2002. McNamara, 56, works part time as a community affairs representative for Detroit-based Inland Waters Pollution Control Inc. Cavanagh, 52, is an attorney who served four terms as a Wayne County commissioner prior to his election to the state House in 2010. He is the son of Jerome Cavanagh, Detroit’s mayor from 1962-70. Ficano was elected as Wayne County executive in 2002 after being elected Wayne County sheriff in 1984. Historically, he’s had strong support from unions and groups including Arab-Americans. The race could also become more crowded by Tuesday’s filing deadline. Along with Ficano, former Detroit Mayor Dave Bing is is considering a run. An email request for an interview was not answered. Stephanie McLean, president of Lansing-based GMT Strategies, a Democratic consulting firm, said the more candidates, the better Ficano’s chances. “When you split the field, it’s more helpful for an incumbent,” she said. “Ficano has had his issues. If it’s a one-on-one race, it would be more troubling.” But that depends, according to Hood. If someone like Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon or former Detroit police chief and Wayne County sheriff Warren Evans enter the race, that would likely divide city and suburban voters and give the edge to the African-American candidate. “If that white vote is split between five candidates and the black candidate can take Detroit plus Inkster and River Rouge,” that wouldn’t bode well for the chances of Ficano, Wild, Cavanagh or McNamara, all of whom are white, Hood said.
Raising funds What’s known about the candidates’ fundraising this year is minimal. Pre-primary finance reports aren’t due until July 25. “We have raised well over $125,000 since the Jan. 26 announcement, without Kevin making any personal donations to the campaign,” said Brian Peckinpaugh, a public relations strategist who represents McNamara. “We are expected, based on commitments, to have sufficient contributions to get us through the Aug. 5 primary election, with much of the financial contributions coming in the next four to six weeks.” Cavanagh had raised $73,480 at the end of 2013; $50,100 of that came from a personal loan. Peter Van Dyke, a partner with Detroit-based Berg Muirhead & Associates Inc., which does public relations for the Cavanagh campaign, said initial endorsements will be released after the filing deadline. “Phil Cavanagh’s 25-plus years in public service have served his ability to garner significant support from the business and civic community in the early stages of his campaign for Wayne County executive,” the campaign said.
Wild had $241,000 on hand at the end of 2013 in his campaign account, which put him about $77,000 behind Ficano, who had $318,000. Vanessa Denha Garmo, of Denha Communications and a spokeswoman for Wild, said he has raised more than $500,000 to date. Wild gave $125,000 personally to his campaign. His mayoral committee gave $65,000.
Waiting game This year’s top-of-the-ticket races and possible ballot questions affecting the business community could determine how much that community will contribute in the executive race. McLean said she thinks many in the business community and others are holding out. With U.S. Sen. Carl Levin’s retirement, three congressional seats open due to retirements, another being vacated by Rep. Gary Peters so he can run for Levin’s seat and the hotly contested House race in the 11th Congressional District, where many are trying to unseat Rep. Kerry Bentivolio, there are plenty of other races on which people can spend their money. “There is a lot going on in Michigan,” she said. “People want to place their money smartly.” And that’s not taking into account the gubernatorial election and what could be several ballot measures, including a possible minimum wage increase. If minimum wage does hit the ballot, the business community is expected to spend heavily to defeat it. Joe DiSano, partner with Lansing-based Main Street Strategies, a Democratic political consulting firm, said the candidates will likely have to raise $750,000 to $1 million for a successful campaign. Wild will have to raise over and above that because he is not well known outside of Westland and his name doesn’t carry the same weight as Cavanagh’s, McNamara’s and Ficano’s, said Eric Foster, senior consultant and chief strategist for West Bloomfield Township-based LB3 Management.
The Ford factor Wild’s war chest is expected to grow with the support of Bill Ford Jr., who hosted a large fundraiser March 28. DiSano said Ford’s involvement in the race and support of Wild was “almost unprecedented.” Ford has shied away from getting involved in partisan politics, aside from his support of Gov. Rick Snyder in the 2010 gubernatorial campaign, DiSano said. Ford’s backing has given Wild some credibility and opened some doors to him that may have been closed before, DiSano said. DiSano thinks much of the business community support will eventually go to Wild, given that he runs a business and many voters have doubts about Ficano. “Businesspeople like certainty,” he said. Because there is some seriousness to the fiscal situation in Wayne County, DiSano thinks the business community will have some reluctance to support someone who hasn’t been in an execu-
WHO’S SUPPORTING WHOM Kevin McNamara, Wayne County Commissioner According to spokesman Bryan Peckinpaugh, these businesspeople have made $1,000 contributions: Frank Tymowski, president and CEO of Detroit-based engineering firm Wade Trim Inc. Carla Walker-Miller, president and CEO of Detroit-based WalkerMiller Energy Services LLC Avery Williams, co-managing partner of Detroit-based Williams Acosta PLLC Nicholas Aubrey, president of Detroit-based Park-Rite Inc.
State Rep. Phil Cavanagh According to 2013 campaign finance records, $3,400 contributors include: Joseph Lentine, president and CEO of Golden Dental Plans Inc. Sydney Ross, president and CEO of Great Lakes Wine & Sprits in Highland Park
William Wild, Westland mayor William Clay Ford Jr., Ford Motor Co. executive chairman, hosted a fundraiser for Wild last month. Business contributors in 2013 include: Michael Mihalich, president of Bloomfield Hills-based MJR Digital Cinemas ($1,000) Ken Buccilli, owner of Northvillebased Buccilli Group LLC ($3,300) Mike Yellen, COO of Birmingham-based Belfor Holdings Inc. ($3,400) Joseph Ciolino, Belfor CFO ($3,400)
Robert Ficano, Wayne County executive According to campaign finance records, business contributors in 2013 include: Clark Hill PLC PAC ($1,500) Comerica Bank PAC ($4,000) DTE Energy Co. PAC ($1,500) Aziz Abraham, president of Detroit-based Woodward Parking Co. ($1,900) Karen Ridgway, president of Detroit-based Applied Science Inc. ($2,500) Isadore King, president of Detroit-based Synergy Partners LLC ($2,000) Joseph Lentine, who also gave to Cavanagh ($2,500) Karoub Associates PAC ($3,000) tive decision-making position. “Ficano has had to make decisions, but almost all of them have been disastrous,” he said. Foster said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan won’t support Ficano because of his scandal-plagued administration. If Duggan does endorse someone, however, that would turn that candidate into a front-runner with access to his political organization and contacts and give that person credibility. “Duggan is the 10,000-pound gorilla in the room,” Foster said. Kirk Pinho: (313) 446-0412, kpinho@crain.com. Twitter: @kirkpinhoCDB Chris Gautz: (517) 403-4403, cgautz@crain.com. Twitter: @chrisgautz