By Terrence T. McDonald

The Jersey Journal

With Jersey City's mayoral and City Council races fast approaching, politicians citywide are doing all they can to raise cash to pay for fliers, newspaper ads, campaign workers and everything else they need to give them an advantage at the polls.

So far the four major entities raising dough for the nonpartisan Nov. 7 race -- the mayoral campaigns of the two major candidates, incumbent Steve Fulop and challenger Bill Matsikoudis; the joint campaigns of each of their council slates; and the Jersey City Democratic Committee, which is controlled by Fulop -- have raised $2,678,945.

Fulop's campaign accounts for most of that, raising $1.9 million in the last four years. His council slate has brought in $320,264, followed by Matsikoudis, who has raised $307,081. The JCDC has raised $140,400 and Matsikoudis' council ticket has taken in $60,230. Candidates in the nine council races have reported raising an additional $719,926 on their own.

That's $3.4 million total. So who is giving them all that money?

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Photo: Michael Dempsey | The Jersey Journal

New Jersey puts strict limits on the amounts donors can give to political candidates.

An individual or corporation can give one candidate $2,600 per election. A candidate committee -- say, Friends of Richard Boggiano (the Ward C councilman) -- can give one candidate up to $8,200. A municipal political party committee -- like the Jersey City Democratic Committee -- can give as much as it wants.

Candidates generally must submit fundraising and spending reports to the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission every four months. The reports must show total amounts raised and spent but do not have to specify who gave below $300 unless that donation was made in cash.

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Photo: Patti Sapone | The Star-Ledger

Most of the largest donations go to council teams because donors can multiple the individual limit by the number of candidates.

For this year's race, the largest single outside contribution by an individual came from this man, Jonathan Tisch, who gave $13,000 to Fulop's council slate in March. Tisch's employer on campaign finance reports is listed as lobbying firm the United States Travel Association but he's probably better known as the treasurer of the New York Giants and co-chair of the Loews Corporation. Tisch was co-chair of the 2014 NY/NJ Super Bowl Host Committee.

The second-largest contribution came from Montclair attorney and real-estate developer Steven Plofker, who gave Fulop's team $10,400 in June. The largest donation to Matsikoudis' slate was $7,400 from Nancy Bilski, of First Capital Investments.

Requests for comment from Tisch and Pflofker were not returned.

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About 40 donations over $300 came from companies, the largest from Airbnb, which gave $10,172 to Fulop's council team in May. Jersey City in 2015 finalized a deal that expanded the city's hotel tax to include Airbnb rentals.

Other company donations include $3,000 from Downtown restaurant Raval to Fulop; $2,500 from Ziggy's Auto Body to Downtown council hopeful Nicholas Grillo and $500 to Matsikoudis's council team from Goldberg's Famous Bagels of Hasbrouck Heights

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Photo: Michael Dempsey | The Jersey Journal

During election season, politicians don't raise money just from businesses and civic-minded citizens -- they also give each other cash.

Monmouth County Democrats gave Fulop $20,000; the Committee to Re-elect Vincent Prieto, the state Assembly speaker, gave the mayor $7,200; the Election Fund of Raj Mukherji, a state assemblyman, gave the Jersey City Democratic Committee and Fulop's council team a total of $12,100.

Denise Ridley, who is running for the Ward A council seat on Fulop's ticket, loaned her campaign $25,000 then gave $10,000 to Fulop's council slate. Council President Rolando Lavarro's personal campaign also gave the Fulop slate $10,000.

In all, the campaigns of Hudson pols have given $110,101 to Fulop, his council slate and the Fulop-controlled JCDC since July 2016. None have given to Fulop's challenger, Bill Matsikoudis, though Matsikoudis did receive $5,000 in December from state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, once Fulop's rival for the Democratic nomination for governor.

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Photo: Jesse Brothers | The Jersey Journal

Matsikoudis is also losing out on union support. $105,525 in donations from unions and union officials have flowed to Fulop's camp in the last year.

The JCDC received $7,200 from local teachers union the Jersey City Education Association PAC (a PAC spokesman said that was for last year's school board race, not Fulop's re-election bid). The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) gave $3,200 to Fulop. The Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters gave $2,500 to Fulop's council slate, plus another $7,200 to the JCDC. 32BJ, a union of service workers that has seen public support from Fulop and Lavarro, gave Fulop $7,000.

Asked about Fulop's support from fellow pols and unions, Fulop spokeswoman Hannah Peterson said, "The city has moved so far forward during the past four years, and many recognize this progress. Prior to the mayor's administration, there were politicians being arrested for bribery in City Hall, taxes were increasing every year and police manpower was at an all-time low. The broad support you are seeing these days is a clear sign that people are confident that the direction of Jersey City has improved."

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Photo: Reena Rose Sibayan | The Jersey Journal

New Jersey pols are supposed to list the occupations of their donors on campaign finance reports. Employees of the Jersey City Police Department gave at least $29,910, all to Fulop and his council team. Sgt. Israel Nieves gave the most, a total of $7,020 ($5,500 to Fulop's council team and $1,520 to Fulop). Reached by phone, Nieves hung up on this reporter after hearing the purpose of the call.

The New Jersey State Policemen's Benevolent Association and the Fraternal Order of Police gave another $1,500 to Team Fulop.

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Photo: Reena Rose Sibayan | The Jersey Journal

Matsikoudis is cleaning up with the Greek community, though. The campaign finance reports for the attorney, a child of a Greek immigrant, are filled with donors whose last names are of Hellenic origin: Gerasimos Kitsopoulos, Spiridon Spireas, Nicholas Tsapatsaris.

"My Greek roots are very meaningful to me and I'm proud that I got support from that community," Matsikoudis said, adding, "although I need more."

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Photo: Michael Dempsey | The Jersey Journal

With the mayor's race attracting most of the campaign money, candidates for the nine council seats aren't raising a ton of cash.

Among the council hopefuls not aligned with a mayoral slate, the biggest fundraiser by far is Councilman Michael Yun, who in the last four years has raised $252,945. Yun had been mulling a mayoral run until recently. Next up is James Solomon, who is seeking the Ward E council seat. Solomon has raised $47,736 ($25,000 is a loan from himself). Councilman Rich Boggiano in Ward C has raised $33,347 ($138 this year). The total so far for Rebecca Symes, also in the Downtown council race, is $27,189.

Rekha Nandwani, who seeks the Ward C council seat, has not reported raising any money since December. Her campaign said it is "reorganizing to ensure compliance." Grillo has not reported his donation totals since April.

Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.