Arredondo heavily supported by developers

Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of articles examining the campaign donations received by local candidates in the Nov. 6 election. In looking at the 30-day campaign finance reports filed by candidates for San Marcos city offices and for Hays County judge, the Daily Record is highlighting the sources of candidates’ largest donations, donations from special interests and/or political action committees, and donations that come from outside San Marcos. 

More than half of City Council Place 6 challenger Juan Miguel Arredondo’s total campaign contributions came from developers, according to official campaign reports.

Local political candidates filed their 30-day campaign finance reports on Oct. 9, detailing campaign contributions and expenditures. Arredondo has received a total of $6,099.99 in campaign contributions, according to his financial report. The largest contributors to Arredondo’s campaign are developer W.C. Carson, who donated $1,300, and Las Colinas developer Reagan T. Dickerson, who donated $1,000. Three donors contributed $500 each to Arredondo’s campaign: developer Robert McDonald, current Place 5 Council Member Scott Gregson, and businessman and Cape’s Dam advocate Brian Olson. 

Arredondo also received contributions from three out-of-town parties. Developer John David Carson, who lists an address in Austin, donated $250, and Republican candidate for Hays County judge Will Conley, who lives in Wimberley, donated $100. The third out-of-town investor is Virgilio Altamirano, who donated $300. He lists an Austin address and is principal for Apante/Albacin/Muzun Investments. Altamirano’s address is the same as the address for Apante Investments, a real estate investment firm that owns 18 properties in San Marcos, many of which are on Hopkins Street. 

Apante owns the building on the corner of Hopkins and Bishop streets that housed Beyond Grooming, the house behind it on Hopkins Street, the house across Hopkins from the old Beyond Grooming location and three other single-family homes on Hopkins. County records show that Apante purchased these properties between February 2012 and August 2016. Other properties include houses on Burleson, Moore, Academy, Alamo, Scott and Holland Streets. 

The donations from the two Carsons, McDonald, Dickerson and Altamirano total $3,350. 

A press release from the Home Builders Association of Greater Austin stated that the association’s HomePAC has endorsed Arredondo in the Place 6 race.

Place 6 incumbent Melissa Derrick’s financial picture differs greatly from Arredondo’s. Derrick has received a total of $3,938 in campaign contributions, according to her financial report. The three largest contributions to her campaign are $500 from James and Diana Baker (each of the Bakers donated $250), $450 from San Marcos resident Thea Dake (one contribution of $300 and one of $150) and $300 from the Hays County Political Women’s Caucus PAC. The Bakers are residents of Belvin Street, and Diana serves on the Historic Preservation Commission. Dake serves on the Historic Preservation Commission and lives on Belvin Street. Derrick received no contributions from anyone outside of San Marcos, and her only contributor who is not an individual is the Hays County Political Women’s Caucus PAC.