Bayonne Councilman at-Large Loyad Booker, a mayoral candidate, and his City Council slate have raised $149,222.31 in the first quarter of this year as the municipal elections draw near, their latest campaign finance reports say.

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

Booker raised $94,130, spent $43,704.68, and has $50,812.18 cash on hand, according to his April 12th report 29-day pre-election report filed with the New Jersey Election Enforcement Commission (NJ ELEC).

Bayonne Redevelopment counsel Joe Baumann gave $2,500, as did BRR Corp, who owns the Broadway Diner, while AlphaDog Solutions, who creates and maintains websites for municipalities including Bayonne and is owned by Belleville Mayor Michael Melham, donated $1,500, according to the filing.

Woodbridge-based Onyx Equities Director of Property Management Jeffrey Fuller gave $4,600, real estate and development attorney Michael Miceli contributed $2,600, and  interim Bayonne Mayor Robert Kubert wrote a check for $1,625.

Expenses were relatively light, with the Chandelier restaurant paid a total of $16,481.50 for two separate fundraisers in February, with another $1,859.63 on campaign signs from Bayonne’s Vital Signs, the report notes.

Additionally, his five-person council slate raised $55,092.31, spent $17,956.20, and has $37,136.11 cash on hand, their 29-day pre-election report filed with ELEC yesterday says.

Most of Booker’s slate chipped in: Council President Gary La Pelusa, the 3rd Ward Councilman, contributed $8,625, 1st Ward Councilman Neil Carroll donated $2,000, former 2nd Ward Councilman Sal Gullace, seeking his old seat, gave $3,000, while council at-large candidate Ramon Veloz got involved at $500.

Carroll also gave another $5,000 from his council account, while Melissa Rada, the other council at-large candidate for Team Booker, didn’t donate directly, but two family members gave a total of $500.

Outgoing Councilman at-Large Juan Perez donated $4,060, while Booker himself gave $4,199.31 from his individual account.

Their only notable team expenditure was $13,738.80 for an event at the Chandelier at the beginning of the month.

With Kubert not seeking a third term, Booker is in a three-way dance on May 12th as he takes on former Council President Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski, who is the top fundraiser thus far, and Business Administrator/Board of Education President Mary Jane Desmond.

Desmond and her three running mates have not filed a 29-day pre-election report with NJ ELEC as of Tuesday evening, according to the ELEC website.