Editor, Daily Nexus,

I am alarmed by the Nexus article about the 3rd District supervisor candidates’ financial statements (“Farr Maintains Lead in Contributions,” Daily Nexus, May 28) and the recent Nexus endorsement of Steve Pappas. To determine a candidate’s real intentions, follow the money. Even though Pappas has collected nearly $100,000 from a small cluster of wealthy landowners in the Santa Ynez Valley, he still has the gall to say, “I continue to be beholden to nobody,” which is embarrassingly poor grammar, and also false. It’s obvious that a few wealthy people are helping him try to buy his way into office.

Dave Smsyer’s fundraising has concerned me since he entered the race. He is the only candidate who consistently collects money from out of the county and the state, and his funds are primarily from developers. I think we’re all worried about his intentions.

Dave Bearman is the only candidate who has twice missed the financial filing deadline. He claims he only raised about $12,000, but he still cannot manage to meet a deadline. Do you want such a disorganized person running our district? I certainly don’t.

Doreen Farr has the most impressive fundraising effort. She has earned donations from more than 600 people – not just a few like Pappas – from around the whole county. Some donations have been as small as $5. She also proudly accepted a contribution from the Service Employees International Union, which represents thousands of minorities and working class families in the county. She also beat all the other candidates to earn the endorsement and some funds from the Firefighters Association and that’s nothing to be ashamed of. She is the only candidate who can prove she represents thousands of people in the district and that’s nothing to be ashamed of, either.