Mayoral Candidates Raking in Cash

With the election still months away, San Francisco's mayoral candidates have wasted no time in collecting cash.

Dennis Herrera, the current City Attorney, has raked in about a quarter million. Senator Leland Yee and entrepreneur Joanna Rees each have about $150,000, according to gossip columnists.

Bevan Dufty's cruising along with about $100,000, and Phil Ting, who recent raised a fuss about having to pay for parking tickets, has around $50,000.

At this point, it's unclear whether Starchild will run.

The city itself will shell out around $8 million for the campaigns. Candidates who raise large amounts of money will get matching funds, paid for by taxpayers. That's far more than the $1.4 million we spent last year to finance bids for the Board of Supervisors.

The candidates are voluntarily limited to $1.3 million, but there's nothing stopping them from breaking their commitment -- after all, they're politicians. Gavin Newsom spent $1.5 in 2007, despite facing no serious challengers.

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