Big money backed Shoemaker in last year’s mayoral race

Matthew Shoemaker cruised to an easy victory in the 2022 mayoral race, backed by a flood of big-money contributions.

A SooToday review of candidate financial statements found that Shoemaker's campaign spending fell just slightly short of the total spent by all other mayoral candidates combined.

Shoemaker's campaign cost $55,520, a whisker under the spending limit of $55,641.

That compared to $30,761 spent by Donna Hilsinger, $8,800 by Robert Peace and $3,223 by Tobin Kern.

As SooToday reported yesterday, candidate Ozzie Grandinetti didn't file a mandatory financial statement but told us he spent $13,000.

That puts the total cost of Shoemaker's campaign at just $264 less than combined spending by his four opponents.

The maximum allowable donation to a municipal election candidate from individuals is $1,200.

There were 32 contributors of $1,000 or more to Matthew Shoemaker's campaign, many of them well-known movers and shakers in the community:

• Orlando Rosa - $1,200
• Steven Shoemaker - $1,200
• Dennis Tatasciore - $1,200
• J Paul R Cassan - $1,200
• James Caicco - $1,200
• Gordon Acton - $1,200
• Sam Biasucci - $1,200
• Anna Biasucci - $1,200
• Joey Biasucci - $1,200
• Carlo Gervasi - $1,200
• Carlo Biasucci - $1,200
• John Martella - $1,200
• Joe Wright - $1,200
• Justin Furano - $1,030
• Jason Naccarato - $1,000
• Brandon Stubbs - $1,030
• Brad Gregorini - $1,000
• Michael McNally - $1,200
• Daniel Fremlin - $1,200
• Joseph Ruscio - $1,000
• David Ruscio - $1,000
• Ryan Rocchetta - $1,000
• Albert Giommi - $1,200
• Laura Disano - $1,200
• Tony Porco - $1,200
• Julie Turcotte - $1,000
• Steven Toppan - $1,200
• Peter Feifel - $1,200
• Joe Greco - $1,200
• Frank D'Addetta - $1,000
• Frank Shunock - $1,200
• Peter Bortolussi - $1,200

Donna Hilsinger had just eight big-money contributions of $1,000 or more:

• William Stone - $1,200
• Michael Moore - $1,000
• Chris Cooper - $1,200
• Clark McDaniel - $1,200
• Emily Hillstrom - $1,200
• Zahida Croskery - $1,000
• John Martella - $1,200
• Mary Hilsinger - $1,200

Robert Peace's campaign was largely self-funded. His only contribution of $1,000 or more was $1,000 from Tim Corrigan.

Tobin Kern's only campaign contributor of $1,000 or more was Janet Kern, who gave $1,000.

Mayoral candidate Ozzie Grandinetti didn't file a financial statement, so contributors to his campaign aren't known.