Taverns top tenants in Raleigh campaign donations

Bar and restaurant owners throughout Raleigh have donated $26,890 to 10 candidates for mayor and city council.

The number goes up to $27,490 when a $500 contribution from Devan Patel, who plans to build a hotel in downtown Raleigh, and a $100 contribution from the NC Lodging and Restaurant Institution, are included.

Those who have publicly come out in favor of more restrictions on downtown night life donated $14,100 to five candidates over the same period, or slightly more than half the amount spent by their opponents.

Last week, the political action committee Wake Citizens for Good Government kicked off a media campaign focusing on the downsides of Raleigh's growing bar scene. Chaired and funded to the tune of $30,000 by Public Policy Polling CEO Dean Debnam, the campaign is known for coining the term "DrunkTown."

The ads claimed that Raleigh residents were being left out of the conversation on the future growth of the downtown core, and that bar owners had an outsize voice in shaping this future.

Reliable figures for the cost of this campaign, or for promotional and get out the vote efforts conducted by competing groups such as Keep Raleigh Vibrant, were not available for analysis.

In addition to the Wake Citizens PAC, campaign finance records show that Debnam was the largest contributor in favor of more restrictions, and that he has contributed a total of $10,100 to four candidates in 2015.

These donations included $1,000 to Councilor Bonner Gaylord District E, $2,000 to Mayor Nancy McFarlane, $2,000 to District A Challenger Dickie Thompson and $5,100 to Councilor Russ Stephenson, At-Large.