The first round of campaign finance reports suggest the economy is tempering what candidates in the May 9 election will spend on area races.

Those reports were due to area school and city secretaries April 9.

In Corinth, three candidates in two races have reported just $300 in contributions among them, a significant difference, mayoral candidate Shannon Bryan said, between now and her first campaign for City Council in 2005.

That year, Ben Pinnell, a local developer, gave her two donations totaling $4,000. She said she hasn’t approached him — or anyone else — for that kind of donation this year. She reported just one contribution, $100 from Mary Ellen Green.

“People just don’t have any discretionary money,” Bryan said.

Instead, she’s using her own money; she reported it as loans to herself, in case contributions come in later. So far, Bryan has reported spending $3,739.03, primarily on campaign signs and mailings.

Her opponent, fellow council member Paul Ruggiere, said he decided he needed to campaign on a tight budget. He reported a $100 donation from former Mayor Shirley Spellerberg, who also gave council member Jim Mayfield, who is seeking re-election, a $100 donation.

Ruggiere said he’s trying to show values of fiscal responsibility.

“Corinth is still small enough where you can be effective going door to door, rather than relying on advertising,” Ruggiere said.

He attends public forums and get-togethers sponsored by homeowner associations in the city. Ruggiere reported spending $585.84 for signs.

Instead, he tries to drive people to his Web site, www.paulforcorinth.com, where he has fewer limits.

Bryan said she, too, is campaigning in cyberspace. She maintains a blog, shannon bryan.blogspot.com.

Mayfield’s opponent, Sherry Schneider, did not file a finance report, City Secretary Kim Pence said.

Denton City Council

Candidates for Denton City Council offered mixed views on whether the global recession was affecting their fundraising.

“I think the economy has had an effect,” said Jim Engelbrecht, one of five candidates for the District 3 seat Jack Thomson is leaving. “I’ve had seniors tell me that they’re not going to be able to give anything, or very little, because of their situations. And the same is true of everyone else; their 401(k) is down, etc.”

Dalton Gregory, one of three candidates seeking the District 2 seat Rudy Moreno is vacating, agreed. Gregory, who, like Engelbrecht, is a first-time candidate, said people are returning his fundraising cards with notes saying they can’t donate because of job losses or health problems.

“When folks were talking to me about running, they were giving me estimates of what [donations] I might expect that were higher than what’s coming in, but I’ve heard that about other candidates too,” said Gregory, who has scaled back his campaign budget as a result. “What I’m going to try to do is just really focus on the people that have a history of voting.”

District 3 candidates Amy Manuel and Hatice I. Salih were less certain about the economy’s effects on their ability to raise funds.

Denton school district

Place 1 incumbent Curtis Ramsey said he can’t say that the economy has impacted his campaign. Contributions are up, he said, compared to previous years. However, Ramsey said he does see a significant difference in the people donating. Finance reports indicate that Ramsey has $66,772.03 in outstanding loans, which he said is cumulative of each campaign over the last 15 years.

Place 2 incumbent Jeanetta Smith was unavailable for comment.

Challengers Sheryl English (Place 1) and Tony Puente (Place 2) said they’ve fared pretty well raising funds. People have wanted to donate but haven’t had the means, English said, while others donated small amounts. She said she’s reached out to supporters by hosting meet-and-greets, knocking on doors and promoting her Web site, sherylenglish.info, where supporters can also make donations.

Other Lake Cities

For the past two years, fundraising and spending by individual candidates in Hickory Creek had been among the highest outside of Denton.

However, for this first filing period, only incumbent Eric Wiser reported raising or spending any money — about $1,100 so far. Fellow council member Richard Baker gave Wiser $500. Another resident who has donated several thousand dollars to Hickory Creek candidates in the past two years, Grady Brown, also gave Wiser $500.

Wiser’s challenger, former council member Randy Wahl, reported no contributions or expenditures for the first filing period.

In Lake Dallas, incumbent council member Richard Martin reported no activity so far, while his challenger, former council member Karl Hammond, reported spending $55 on signs.

Sole special-purpose committee

In the past two years, special-purpose committees ratcheted up spending in several communities, including Oak Point and Argyle, where the committee reported spending about $9 per registered voter.

This year, some Krum residents have formed a specific-purpose committee to support Mayor Terri Wilson in her re-election bid.

For the reporting period of March 27 through March 30, the treasurer of Friends of Terri Wilson, Mindy Bruce, reported that the group took in $45 and spent $20.

Wilson faces challenges from Don Ouellette and former Mayor Larry Lamonica.

Wilson also filed individual campaign finance forms showing that she accepted $35.79 worth of paint brushes and spent $188, primarily at Home Depot for materials to make signs.

Neither Ouellette nor Lamonica reported any contributions or expenditures.

Less than $500

Candidates in Aubrey, Oak Point, Shady Shores and Sanger pledged to not raise or spend more than $500, and city secretaries in those cities confirmed that no one filed new paperwork signaling a change in that pledge.

PEGGY HEINKEL-WOLFE can be reached at 940-566-6881. Her e-mail address is pheinkel-wolfe@dentonrc.com .

LOWELL BROWN can be reached at 940-566-6882. His e-mail address is lmbrown@dentonrc.com .

BRITNEY TABOR can be reached at 940-566-6876. Her e-mail address is btabor@dentonrc.com .

The following chart shows local candidates’ total campaign contributions, expenditures, donations maintained, outstanding loans, and major donors, where applicable, as reported from the beginning of the year through April 9. Candidates in contested elections who raised or spent more than $500 were required to file campaign finance reports by April 9.

DENTON ISD

Place 1

Sheryl English

Donations: $1,050

Spending: $193.49

Donations maintained: none

Outstanding loans: $1,256.71

Major donor: Sandy Kristoferson, $250

Curtis Ramsey (I)

Donations: $2,185

Spending: $1,348.26

Donations maintained: $685.67

Outstanding loans: $66,772.03

Major donor: Richard Strauss, $500

Place 2

Tony Puente

Donations: $200

Spending: none

Donations maintained: $200

Outstanding loans: none

Major donor: Mark Nelson, $150

Jeanetta Smith (I)

Donations: $549

Spending: $78.38

Donations maintained: $470.62

Outstanding loans: $1,000

Major donor: Bettye Myers, $200

DENTON CITY COUNCIL

District 1

Eliborio “Eli Gemini” Beltrán

Not available **

Bob Clifton

Donations: $124.81

Spending: $183.12

Donations maintained: $316.88

Outstanding loans: $500

Major donor: Pamela Dawson, $124.81 (in-kind)

Charlye Heggins (I)

Donations: $520

Spending: $282.68

Donations maintained: $237.32

Outstanding loans: none

Major donors: Bob Shelton, $300; Curtis Loveless, $100

District 2

Dalton Gregory

Donations: $2,315

Spending: $710

Donations maintained: $1,605

Outstanding loans: $1,000

Major donors: Mike and Delaney Gregory, $270; Horace and Euline Brock, Bill and Heather Cheek, $250 per couple

Michael Roby

Donations: $350

Spending: $2,282.03

Donations maintained: $450

Outstanding loans: $2,000

Major donor: Coby Waddill, $100

Roger Strahan

Donations: none

Spending: $175.08

Donations maintained: none

Outstanding loans: none

Major donors: none

District 3

Sam Casey

Not available *

Jim Engelbrecht

Donations: $2,134.50

Spending: $1,203.58

Donations maintained: $930

Outstanding loans: $1,000

Major donors: Jack Thomson (campaign fund) $504.50; Marc Moffitt, $250

Amy Manuel

Donations: $1,816.30

Spending: $442.73

Donations maintained: $1,373.57

Outstanding loans: none

Major donors: Frances Stewart, $250; Terry Manuel, $170

HaticeI. Salih

Donations: $3,985

Spending: $4,568.12

Donations maintained: $128

Outstanding loans: $3,500

Major donors: Bobby and Mary Morris, Jon and Val Donahue, $500 per couple

Andrew “Teets” Teeter

Not available *

District 4

Chris Watts (I)

Not available (Under state campaign finance law, Watts is considered unopposed because his only opponent is a write-in candidate. An unopposed candidate must file semiannual reports but is not required to file reports 30 days or eight days before an election.)

Phil Kregel (write-in)

Not available **

(I) denotes incumbent

* No report required (this candidate chose a modified reporting option, stating he does not intend to raise or spend more than $500 during the election)

** No report filed (this candidate said he had not raised or spent any money during the reporting period)