Both sides of KBRA fight raise and spend

By ELON GLUCKLICH 

H&N Staff Reporter

October 19, 2010

   Leading the money race is Klamath Conservative Voters PAC, a group supporting Republican candidates and conservative political values. The PAC has advocated against the KBRA and dam removal in advertisements and political campaigns.

   Since Sept. 22, it has received $9,382 from Klamath Off-Project Water Users, a non-profit organization representing agricultural power users living off Klamath Reclamation Project land.

   Tom Mallams, a leader of the Klamath Conservative Voters PAC, is president of the Off-Project Water Users. Mallams said the group’s donations come from membership fees, and from donations from association members.

   Associate members are not off-project residents, but reside in the Klamath Basin and have a stake in affordable power rates, Mallams said.

   “We have a very large base of supporters that pay in,” Mallams said, adding that the Off-Project Users board of directors voted overwhelmingly in support of contributing to Klamath Conservative Voters PAC.

   The PAC also received sizable donations from several local community members.

   Frank Goodson, another PAC leader, donated $400.  Bill Kennedy, a Poe Valley rancher and outspoken KBRA opponent, donated $500.

   KBRA supporters also actively recruited contributions.

   Klamath Ag PAC, a pro-KBRA political action committee, received a $2,000 contribution earlier this month from Partnership to Restore Stability and Prosperity to the Region, or PROSPER. It also received individual cash contributions from PROSPER supporters, including Becky Hyde and Steve Kandra. Kandra is listed as treasurer of Klamath Ag PAC.

   Since May, the Klamath Ag PAC has spent $8,567.80 on local advertising and campaign signs, according to its campaign committee filings history.

   Over that same time, Klamath Conservative Voters PAC has spent $11,739.