Two Commission Candidates Using Lots Of Their Own $$$

BY BUDDY NEVINS

Gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott and Senate candidate Jeff Green are throwing millions into their campaigns.

Broward County Commission candidates Sue Gunzburger and Barbara Sharief are not in their league. 

But the south Broward hopefuls have each put about $100,000 apiece into their South Broward county commission races in the last three months.

Multi-millionaire County Commissioner Gunzburger put $100,000 into her re-election in the period between April and July 16. Her district stretches from Pembroke Pines and Interstate 75 to Hollywood and Hallandale beach.

Gunzburger had earlier put $10,000 to kick off the campaign.

Gunzburger Democratic primary opponent Steve Geller’s report has not been posted on the Broward Supervisor of Elections site yet. 

Health care firm owner Sharief put $95,200 of her own money in the Democratic primary race Pembroke Pines Commissioner Angelo Castillo.

Shareif and Castillo are vying to replace former Commissioner Diana Wasserman-Rubin in a district which doglegs from West Park and Miramar to Southwest Ranches and Weston.

Castillo’s latest financial report has not been posted on the Supervisor of Elections site. There are also two Republicans in the race.   

Although both are free spending on their own campaigns, there are two big differences between Gunzburger and Shareif: 

  • Gunzburger has raised $243, 956, while Sharief raised just $2,275 in donations.
  • Gunzburger has $210,000 in the bank, while Sharief has only $16,000 left.  Sharief spent much of her money on radio and TV ads, printing and other campaign costs.


27 Responses to “Two Commission Candidates Using Lots Of Their Own $$$”

  1. Gunzburger is a sell out says:

    Apparently Gunzburger’s Best Friend LOBBYiST, Bernie Friedman, had no more money to give her. Well she’s probably using the $100,000 she STOLE from the taxpayers for over 20 years!

  2. Shareif Who? says:

    She has been a Miramar commissioner for only a year.

  3. WOW ........ says:

    GUNZBURGER using her own money??? yea right, LOANING her money and when she gets more, she’s going to take it right back. what a joke.

  4. Truthiness says:

    Sue Gunzburger has ALWAYS been the top donor to her own campaign every time she’s had a hotly contested race. That is what keep her independent of all the lobbyists. Including Bernie Friedman — who she led the fight against his largest client ever (Diplomat) and killed their proposed mega-development. Like I said, her money keeps her independent. Always has. Always will.

    Unlike developer lobbyist Steve Geller. Bought and paid for by the developers who want to pave over our beaches.

  5. Truthiness says:

    FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND
    A parable about Steve Geller

    One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with Steve Geller.
    Many scenes from my life flashed through my mind.
    In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
    Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,
    other times there were one set of footprints.

    This bothered me because I noticed that
    during the hard periods of my life as a high-rise developer
    when I was dealing with anguish, environmentalists, or obstacles,
    I could see only one set of footprints.
    But, in good times, there were two sets of footprints.

    So I said to Steve,
    “You promised me, Steve,
    you would walk with me always.
    But I have noticed that during
    the most trying periods of my life
    there have only been one
    set of footprints in the sand.
    Why, when I needed you most,
    you have not been there for me?”

    And Steve replied,
    “The times when you have seen two sets of
    footprints was when you hired me as your lobbyist
    to walk with you to win approval of city and county officials
    for your construction projects. But in the times you
    only saw one set of footprints, and things went badly
    for you, is when you didn’t pay me to help you.
    Let’s be reasonable, you may live in my district, but
    I’ll only carry your water when you pay me.
    Otherwise, you’re on your own!”

  6. oh please says:

    Ronnie,

    What are you going to do with all of your free time when this election is over and you’re not spending all of this time posting all of your ridiculous nonsense and lies about Steve Geller? Will you actually spend time working at your job that mommy got for you?

  7. Beth The Bounty Hunter says:

    Truthiness that is absolutely hysterical, you must have had a great time writing it. thanks for a good laugh.

  8. Yaki says:

    What a bunch of nonsense comments. GUNZBURGER couldn’t raise enough contributions, so she’s putting in her own money…big deal. She’s lucky she is rich enough to do it, otherwise she’d be OUT already. Her money doesn’t make her independent, it just makes her a formidable candidate. We all know she is a “pay to play” politician. I’m voting her out. And just wish I could vote the others out too. My vote is for GELLER.

  9. Striker Liker says:

    Geller is taking the easy way out and accepting unlimited contributions through his ECO’s. Gunzburger is limiting her contributions and disclosing everything she raises and spends – the honorable thing to do. Let’s follow where Geller’s money is coming from.

  10. Yaki says:

    GUNZBURGER honorable??? You’re kidding, right? What a joke. She is OBVIOUSLY a lier, a cheat and completely unethical. Why would anyone WANT her is beyond me.

  11. Truthiness says:

    Yaki, if you can’t see that Gunzburger truly is the honorable and ethical one, and Geller is the lying, sleazy lobbyist, then you are too firmly embedded in Team Geller to ever be reached by facts and the reality.

  12. Yaki says:

    I am firmly ANTI-GUNZBURGER. She’s a proven liar…she has NO SHAME. The Broward Commission is full of corruption. GUNZBURGER has been part of the problem. She needs to go. Enough already. 18 years!! as a commissioner!! TOO LONG!!! She needs to move on to something else, in my opinion.

  13. Aap says:

    Gunzburger is worth millions. I would expect her to kick in a few hundred thousand more before this race is over, if she needs to. Of course with Geller running what may be the most clumsy, heavy handed, inept campaign ever … she may not need to put in more.

  14. Gunzburger is a joke says:

    Someone said that because Gunzburger is independently wealthy,she isn’t beholden to anyone. The problem is, she also doesn’t care about her constituents. She doesn’t care about the needs of the people she claims to have represented. Just drive around the district, it is perhaps the worst district in all of Broward. Gunzburger owes no one anything due to the fortune she made off of taxpayers and owes those taxpayers nothing!

  15. Privacy 101 says:

    In my opinion, with very few exceptions, the entire County Commission is corrupt. Time for new representation.

  16. Truthiness says:

    Unless the “new” one (Geller) is a 20-year career politician and sleazy developer lobbyist!!!

  17. Rhyming Fool says:

    Here is a little ditty
    About Steve Geller from Cooper City
    He has a little hobby
    He helps developers lobby
    He’s bound to end at the ethics committee

  18. Question For Privacy 101 says:

    You would vote for a paid lobbyist like Steve Geller? Lobbyists are the problem and the solution isn’t electing one to the county commission.

  19. Privacy 101 says:

    All I’m saying, in my opinion, is the current Commissioners all appear to be corrupt. One of them has recently been charged and another is in jail. There is a very good chance one or two – maybe even three more will be charged within the next 6 months. Will Geller be better? I have no idea. If he doesn’t break the law and get indicted, it’s a step up from what we have now.

  20. Big Deal says:

    This blog should read “Sue Gunzberger put in $100,000 of the taxpayer’s money she made off of the crappy benches she sold to the county”.

  21. Truthiness says:

    Geller may already be under federal investigation for his role in the Mutual Benefits ponzi scheme. Check out all of Bob Norman’s investigative articles on it.

  22. Yaki says:

    “may”??? … can we also deduce “may not” isn’t that fair?
    Truthiness, your name is accurate. You try to sound truthful, but just give us “truthiness”, almost the truth, but not the truth. Enjoying your posts…always a good laugh =D. Good night all.

  23. Miramar Resident says:

    Buddy,

    I live in Miramar and form time to time I tend to answer on your blogs, but I think its real shady of you that you have not included the other candidate, Shevrin Jones, who I AM supporting. This “young hopeful” is beating the streets and is running a REAL grassroots campaign. If you are going to post information, post all the information so “the people” can have fair information.

    You calling everyone else corrupt, I believe you should check yourself a bit too!

  24. Steve Schwin says:

    It’s Mr. Jones’ job to get his message to “the people.” Not Buddy’s.

  25. Buddy Nevins says:

    This article was primarily about Sue Gunzburger and Barbara Sharief.

    I have written about Shevrin Jones in the past and have had nice things to say about him. Here is one example:

    http://www.browardbeat.com/shevrin-jones-angelo-wont-scare-me-out-of-race/

  26. David Brown says:

    To Truthiness?

    If you are so into exposing the truth, why don’t you expose the truth about who you are and what your true relationship to Sue is?

    Your campaign of distortions, UN-truths, innuendo and miss-direction isn’t fooling anyone.

    Steve Geller is a man of integrity who has served us well and honorably as an elected official. Your continuing attempt to malign Steve’s record reflects more negatively on you and Sue than it does to hurt Steve. Do you really think that voters believe the trash you are talking?

    The parable above you take credit for writing is your tortured version of an old story about Jesus. Shame on you, but then taking credit for the real work of others is an integral part of your campaign strategy.

    I’m certain you will reply to this with some hopefully new fabrication. You’ve been trying to sell the “Steve MAYBE under investigation” story for a year and still nothing. Never was. Case closed!

  27. Frank Aboudit says:

    It is unfortunate that Buddy plugged Castillo’s name in the article about Gunzberger and Sharief and yet failed to mention Jones. Hmmm…