Salem Mayor Rebuilds Campaign War Chest

SALEM, MA — Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll collected $26,423 in political contributions last year, rebuilding a campaign war chest that had dwindled to $5,770.62 at the end of 2018. Driscoll, whose current four-year term expires in 2021, received 86 individual donations ranging from $100 to $1,000, according to a year-end report filed last week with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance.

In 2017, when Driscoll defeated challenger Paul Prevey in her bid for a fourth term, her campaign spent $185,823.90. Prevey, by comparison, spent $18,169. Driscoll, however, is trailing the fundraising pace she maintained four years ago; her campaign ended 2019 with $25,721.57 on hand, compared to $45,382.90 at the end of 2015.

Driscoll's biggest donors in 2019 were Salem attorney Thomas Alexander, Boston Residential Group Vice President Steven D. Feinstein of Peabody, Witch Dunegon Museum Treasurer James Hurrell, Salem Night Tour Managing Partner Timothy Maguire and DeNunzio Group senior project manager Kenneth McClure of Revere. All five contributed $1,000, the most allowed each year under state law for contributions by individuals to a candidate.

The DeNunzio Group is the parent company of Maine Course Hospitality Group, which is developing the Hampton Inn at the corner of Washington and Dodge streets that is scheduled to open this summer.

Driscoll also received $500 contributions from the following individuals:

• Timothy Clarke, owner of Waters & Brown Inc. in Danvers
• Joseph C. Correnti, an attorney with Serafini, Serafini, Darling & Correnti
• Tim Driscoll of Oakton, VA, who listed his occupation as an executive with the International Union of Bricklayers
• Robert Dunham, owner of EMR Drywall in Marblehead
• Darcy Immerman, a senior vice president with AECOM
• Lotus Gifts owner Kam Fun Lam
• Andrea Leary, a transportation consultant with NE Transit Planning & Management Group
• The Massachusetts Brick Layers People's Committee
• Thai Place Manager Yuvapan Nualpring
• Jonathan Payson of Salem
• Kenneth Petraglia, an engineer with Beta Inc.
• Barry Sloane, a Needham resident who works for Century Bank
• City of Cambridge Budget Director Sara A. Stanton, who lives in Salem
• Pasquale Todisco of Todisco Properties LLC
• George C. Vernet of commercial real estate firm Vernet Properties
• Karen Winn of Boston