There`s more than one reason why Chicago`s Mayor Daley is known as Rich.
Campaign finance reports released Wednesday show he has raised nearly $13 million since he first began campaigning for mayor in 1988, and his political committee has collected $2.5 million in the first six months of this year.
The $540,000 that aides said Daley`s political committee has in the bank makes it among the wealthiest in the state, slightly trailing the war chests of Gov. Jim Edgar, several Illinois senators and congressmen and former Gov. James Thompson, who still has $783,711 to spend on political contests.
By contrast, Cook County Board President Richard Phelan continued to amass more debt, borrowing $85,000 in addition to the $790,000 in loans he received during his 1990 campaign.
They and other political figures were required to file semiannual campaign reports that show where they raised money and how they spent it during the first six months of 1991. The filings came during an off-election year with no local, county or statewide races looming for many of the candidates.
Daley, who has tried to avoid being perceived as a kingmaker, gave some aldermanic candidates cash and campaign services worth about $165,000, as well as thousands more to the campaigns of city Treasurer Miriam Santos and city Clerk Walter Kozubowski, said Daley campaign staff.
While Santos and Kozubowski won in April`s general election, only three of the seven aldermanic candidates who had Daley`s support in runoff contests were able to win.
For example, Daley gave $33,000 in cash to the unsuccessful 49th Ward aldermanic campaign of Robert Clarke, nearly half of the total raised by Clarke, records show. In addition, Daley`s campaign provided about $17,000 worth of palm cards, mailings and other services. Clarke was defeated by Joe Moore.
Daley gave $37,000 in cash and other services to the unsuccessful effort of 46th Ward candidate Michael Quigley, who was defeated by incumbent Helen Shiller.
Edgar`s political committee raised $1.49 million, including $300,000 that was borrowed by his committee in February, reports show.
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Press secretary Michael Lawrence said the 90-day loan at the First National Bank of Springfield was repaid with interest, but campaign reports failed to disclose how much in interest the committee paid.
Lawrence said the loan was above the prime rate and was guaranteed by two officials of the campaign committee.
”I am not sure why no interest is shown on the report,” he said. ”My understanding is that the interest was charged and paid as part of retiring the loan. The fact that it isn`t shown is some glitch or oversight.”
Phelan reported having only $11,969 in cash after raising $279,000, which included the $85,000 loan. However, aides said Phelan received an additional $410,000 in donations at a July 11 fundraiser that came after the reporting period.
Some of that cash apparently was used to reduce the committee`s debt at the First National Bank of Chicago, where the committee owed $335,000. Aides said the committee now owes $134,000 to the bank.