In the weeks leading up to the May 2016 City of Leander elections, the Political Action Committee, Bonding Leander Together, pushed a $70M+ bond election on the citizens of Leander. Only one of the four bond measures on the ballot pertained to the highest priority of municipal government.
The PAC treasurer was the only contributor residing within Leander. Several of the entities and associated individuals who donated to the PAC are continuing their meddling in Leander politics by backing candidates in the current Leander mayoral and/or city council races.
Following is a list of vendors or employees of vendors who contributed to Bonding Leander Together SPAC, along with the total amount each entity, individual, or the individual’s employer has been paid by the City of Leander for goods or services since passage of the bond package:
|
Vendor |
Campaign Contribution to Bonding Leander Together PAC in 2016 |
Total Amount City of Leander Taxpayers Have Paid to Vendor Since 2016 Bond Election |
| Freese & Nichols,Inc., Austin |
$1,000.00 |
$550,639.76 |
| Halff Associates, Inc., Richardson |
$1,500.00 |
$1,028,368.94 |
| K. Friese & Associates, Inc., Austin |
$1,000.00 |
$549,513.21 |
| Walker Partners, Waco |
$1,500.00 |
$706,833.94 |
| Mark Borenstein, Managing Director HDR Engineering, Inc. |
$150.00* |
$167,830.11** |
Additional contributors to Bonding Leander Together PAC:
| Contributor |
Campaign Contribution |
| Mitch Fuller, Cedar Park Consultant at J.L. Powers & Assoc. |
$100.00 |
| Eric Johnson, PAC Treasurer, Leander |
$100.00 |
| Binkley & Barfield, Houston |
$1,000.00 |
Several of the above entities appear again in campaign finance reports filed by current candidates:
| Contributor Name | Occupation | Business | Amount |
| Karen Friese, Austin | Bus. Owner | K. Friese & Assoc | $250.00 |
| Mitch Fuller, Cedar Park | Consultant | J.L Powers | $200.00 |
| Freese & Nichols PAC, Ft. Worth |
Developers | Freese & Nichols | $300.00 |
| George Walker, McGregor, TX | Engineer | Walker Partners | $250.00 |
| Halff Associates – State PAC, Richardson | Engineering | Halff Associates | $250.00 |
Additional contributors to current campaigns:
| Contributor | Campaign Contribution to Current Candidate |
Amounts City of Leander Taxpayers Paid to Associated Business Since 2016 Bond Election |
| Frederick Jay, retired Pagosa Springs, CO Jay Engineering, Inc. |
$500.00 |
$201,871.90 |
| Martin Burger, Manager Austin American Constructors |
$250.00 |
$3,907,418.00 |
Copyright © 2018 Don Stroud