METHUEN — Mayor William Manzi has raised $25,580 since Aug. 29 for his re-election bid, while challenger Al DiNuccio has raised $3,600, according to the latest campaign finance reports.
"It should be about the candidate and the issues, not about money," DiNuccio said yesterday. "We use our money wisely here. We use it in the most effective way we can."
Manzi said the donations to him are "reflective of wider and deeper support in the community for my candidacy."
The list of donors on Manzi's latest campaign finance form, which covers the period of Aug. 29 to Oct. 16 and was released by the city clerk's office yesterday, reads like a who's who at City Hall and in Methuen politics. The three employees who work in Manzi's office all donated.
Other Manzi donors include Superintendent Jeanne Whitten and some other city department heads, as well as School Committee member Robert Vogler, former state Rep. Arthur Broadhurst, City Councilor John Cronin Jr., former Mayor Dennis DiZoglio, Merrimack Valley Golf Course owner Kevin Kattar, City Councilor Joseph Leone, and former state Sen. James Jajuga and his son police Lt. James Jajuga Jr.
Manzi said political donations do not impact decisions he makes as mayor.
"You have to make decisions based on the overall best interests of the city," he said.
DiNuccio received 13 donations during this latest fundraising period, including $250 from a man named John Solomon, who said he is not related to Joseph Solomon, the police chief whom Manzi fired in May 2008.
John Solomon said he and DiNuccio are longtime friends who coached girls softball against each other and vacationed near each other at Salisbury Beach. The self-employed software consultant noted that DiNuccio, co-owner of East Coast Cabinet, is a fellow businessman.
"So I think I agree with a lot of what Al says about running the city like a business," John Solomon said.
Thomas Neve, a builder whose name has surfaced in news reports about the federal corruption case against former House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, donated $350 to Manzi.
"I've known him for a number of years," Manzi said. "It's unclear to me that there's any issue there," the mayor said about Neve's involvement in the DiMasi case.
Neve said during an interview that he answered questions asked by the government, but he said he couldn't specifically say who questioned him or what they asked about.
"I think my participation is over," he said. "Like anything else, it's Massachusetts, it's a political arena... and from time to time we do get asked questions."
Neve is a partner in Genesis Management Group, a real estate management, development and investment company in Boston. He was the construction manager and developer for the $70 million development of the Merrimack Valley Golf Course and the 74 single-family homes around it.
DiNuccio spent $3,294 on a campaign breakfast, advertisements, stickers and signs. Manzi spent $24,554 on political lunches, advertisements, a fund-raising boat cruise in Newburyport, an ice cream social, golf tournament sponsorships and signs.
Of the City Council candidates, East District Councilor Joseph Leone raised the most during this fundraising period, bringing in $5,300. He spent $1,510 of that on fundraisers and advertising, his report showed.
With $765 in donations, School Committee challenger Jeri-an Batal raised the most out of anyone running for that position. Incumbent Robert Vogler raised nothing but spent $1,938 on advertisements, according to his report.
Joseph Solomon, the former police chief, donated $100 to Central District City Council candidate Fadi Chahine, the only candidate to publicly say Solomon should be reinstated.
Campaign finance reports were due in the clerk's office by the close of business on Monday. West District City Councilor Deborah Quinn had not filed as of yesterday morning, as well as School Committee members Gary Marcoux and Barbara Grondine, and School Committee challenger Kenneth Willette Jr.
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People who donated $500 to DiNuccio
Frank and Roseann DiNuccio, retired
Stephen Doherty, business owner
Kathleen Gosselin, teacher
People who donated $500 to Manzi
Leon Asadoorian, owner of Methuen Construction
Cheryl Baroni, retired
Suzanne Fichera, owner of Superior Cleaners
Henry Hyder, attorney
Susan Keamy, principal at TEC Engineering
Rashid Khan, not specified
Diana Larochelle, not specified
Michael Manzi Jr., retired
Edward Manzi, owner of Manzi & Associates CPA firm
John Manzi, self-employed
Tania Manzi, retired
Vincent Manzi, attorney
Methuen Firefighters Local 1691
Joseph Pappalardo, builder
John Ryan, electrician
Joseph Shaheen, Interstate Auto broker
Barbara Vinciguerra, retired
Note: $500 is the maximum people can donate.
