A Democratic county executive candidate owes $41,361 from his 1982 bid for Anne Arundel's highest elective office, more than twice what his 1994 campaign has raised.
Records at the State Administrative Board of Election Laws show that H. Erle Schafer, a former clerk of the Circuit Court and former state senator, still has not paid $18,861 for goods and services used by his 1982 campaign. He also has not repaid $22,500 in loans made by friends and supporters of his campaign committee.
Documents filed with the election board yesterday show that Mr. Schafer has raised $17,351 this year in preparation for the Sept. 13 primary, trailing North County rival and state Del. Theodore J. Sophocleus. Mr. Sophocleus, the Democratic nominee in 1990, has raised $94,701.
Yesterday was the deadline for political candidates to file reports that disclose their campaign contributors and expenses. They will have to file additional reports before the Sept. 13 primary and the Nov. 8 general election.
Mr. Schafer could not be reached last night for comment about the outstanding debts from his 1982 campaign. Among the debts are $1,340 owed to what now is Bell Atlantic and $980 owed to Dunkin Donuts.
Tina Hadjis, daughter of Mr. Schafer's 1982 campaign manager, said the campaign still owes her father's estate $10,000. Ms. Hadjis said she found a promissory note from the campaign in July and asked Mr. Schafer to repay it.
"My father died in 1988 and it's been hard for my mother," Ms. Hadjis said. "My mother could really use that money."
Campaign finance disclosures for Democratic candidates Robert Agee and Larry Walker had not arrived at the election board's Annapolis office by 5 p.m. closing yesterday. Candidates had the option of mailing the reports.
State Del. John Gary, the Republican nominee for executive, has raised $110,232. But like other candidates, he spent much of the money financing fund-raising events. None of the executive candidates, including Mr. Sophocleus, has generated the large campaign treasuries common four years ago. Mr. Sophocleus had already raised $222,438 this time in 1990; County Executive Robert R. Neall, a Republican, had $286,000.
"Everybody knows that it's been difficult to raise money this year," said Mr. Agee, who estimated that he has raised about $25,000. "We don't have 'plenty' of money, but we'll have enough to do the things we want to do."
Larry Telford, Mr. Gary's campaign manager, said the recession and a hotly contested gubernatorial race have drained potential contributors.
The candidates are spending their money on cable television advertising, fund-raising events, direct mail, yard signs, office rent and office equipment. Few have much money on hand.
Mr. Gary and Mr. Sophocleus have the largest cash balances, with nearly $15,000 each.
"Most of that money was spent in trying to lock up the [GOP] nomination and get John Leopold out of the race," said Mr. Telford, explaining why his candidate had spent so heavily without a primary.
County Council
Of the County Council candidates who filed yesterday, James "Ed" DeGrange, a District 2 Democrat, led with $51,126.
Following closely was District 5 Republican Diane R. Evans, who raised about $38,636, including $800 from Jones Intercable. Her Democratic opponent, David L. DeAngelis, has raised about $29,591.
George F. Bachman, a District 1 Democrat, had the third largest campaign fund with slightly more than $37,692, but received the most money of any council candidate from political action
committees: $315.
Two candidates filed affidavits saying they will spend less than $300 on their campaigns: Charles E. Beatty, a Democrat in the District 1 race, and Martin J. Kolb, a District 3 Republican.
Big fund-raisers by district were:
* A. Shirley Murphy, a District 3 Democrat with $18,473. Reports from Democrats Elmer Dunn Jr. and Thomas Redmond and Republican Carl G. "Dutch" Holland were not on file yesterday. Romie A. Songer, a Republican, closed his campaign account, records showed.
* Bill D. Burlison, a Democrat in the District 4 race, raised $10,156, but $10,000 of that was a loan to himself. Norman G. Myers Sr., also a Democrat, raised the next highest amount, $4,555. Reports were not on file for Democrats Keith Green and Robert H. McMurtrie, and Republican Bert L. Rice.
* Melinda M. Hamilton, the lone Democrat in District 6, raised $8,841. William C. Mulford II, a Republican, raised $3,717. A report for Kenneth R. Sosnoski Jr., the other Republican candidate, was not available.
* Dorothy Dixon Chaney, a Democrat in District 7 and school board member,raised $17,509. Democrat Joseph I. Collinson III raised $6,650 and James C. Overmier Jr., a Republican, collected $3,394. Republican Patricia J. O'Brien lent herself $1,000.
Other candidates whose reports were not available are: District 1 Democrat and former Sheriff William R. Huggins, District 1 Republican Frank G. Phelps Jr. and District 7 Republicans Jacqueline A. Potter and John J. Klocko III.
Among the donations to Mrs. Chaney's campaign was $250 from George C. Lantzas, a lawyer representing Brandt Schanberger, a county teacher who faces firing for allegedly sexually abusing a student. Mrs. Chaney recused herself from hearing the case, and said she will not vote tonight on Mr. Schanberger's fate.
"I do not know George Lantzas. I would not know him if he walked through my window," said Mrs. Chaney, adding that Mr. Lantzas apparently was acquainted with another of her supporters.
School board President Michael A. Pace praised her handling of the situation as "completely above board."
State House
Republican and Democratic candidates for the House of Delegates and state Senate have been beating the bushes for campaign money. Not surprisingly the incumbents dominated.
The leading fund-raiser in District 30, which includes Annapolis, appears to be Del. Michael Busch, who has raised $69,684, including $25,391 during the past nine months. Mr. Busch has spent more on signs and donations to charities and other candidates than most of his competitors have raised. He still has $32,921 in the bank.
Republican incumbent Phillip Bissett collected $27,123 in this reporting period. He received $5,575 from political action committees, including the Public Works Contractors Association, the Anne Arundel County Licensing Beverage Association and the Maryland Medical PAC, which all donated at least $1,000.
Democrat John C. Eldridge Jr. reported $18,702 in contributions, but that figure includes $10,000 he lent to himself last month. At the other end of the spectrum, Republican Michael T. Brown, an Annapolis probation officer, reported that he has received no contributions and spent no money so far.
In the District 30 state Senate race, state Del. John Astle, a Democrat, has raised nearly $30,000, including eight individual donations of $1,000 each. Records for the GOP senate candidates were unavailable.
In District 31, which includes Brooklyn Park and Pasadena, Democratic state Dels. W. Ray Huff, C. Stokes Kolodziejski and Joan Cadden have raised a combined total of $107,359.
State Del. Victor Sulin, a Democrat, is leading the way in District 32, which includes Linthicum and Glen Burnie. Mr. Sulin has spent two-thirds of the $36,535 his campaign has raised, more than GOP challengers Jim Rzepkowski and Ed Priola have raised combined.
In the race for West County's 33rd District House seats, Democratic challenger Mike Canning, a Crofton lawyer, appears to have been the most active fund-raiser, taking in $22,615 since November 1993. Mr. Canning received $1,525 from political action committees, including $1,000 from the Maryland Trial Lawyers Association. State Del. Marsha Perry, a Democrat, took in $18,311 since November and has raised a total of $27,972.
Republican challenger Janet Greenip, a founder of the Greater Crofton Republican Women's Club, has taken in more than $19,000.