Less than a quarter of university trustees have made personal contributions to candidates running for public office today.
A handful of other donors, however, are businesses and political action committees tied to where those respective trustees work.
Daniel Polett, a trustee since 1992 and the namesake of Polett Walk on Main Campus, contributed the most of any trustee, according to city donation records. He gave $2,500 to Kevin Dougherty, who is running for the state’s Supreme Court, and $1,000 to Jim Kenney, the Democratic candidate for mayor.
Dennis Alter—of Alter Hall and a trustee since 2012—gave $2,500 to Dougherty. Drew Katz, CEO of Interstate Outdoor Advertising and son of late trustee Lewis Katz, donated the same amount to Andrew Stober, an independent candidate running for City Council.
Richard Fox, to whom the university’s business school is dedicated, gave $2,000 to Terry Tracy, a Republican running for an at-large seat in City Council.
Other trustees personally donated to Ronald Donatucci, a trustee who is running for re-election for the city’s Register of Wills. Patrick V. Larkin, a trustee who was appointed by the state Senate in 2004, donated $300 to Donatucci’s committee. Lon R. Greenberg, a trustee who has been CEO of UGI Corporation for 20 years, also donated $150 to the committee in 2012.
As for political action committees and businesses, the PREIT-Rubin State PAC gave $2,500 this year to Mark Squilla, a Democrat running unopposed for City Council. Trustee Joseph F. Coradino has been CEO of PREIT since 2012.
Cozen O’Connor’s State and Local PAC—the namesake law firm of Chairman Patrick O’Connor—donated the most of any political action committee among the trustees. The law firm has donated $14,200 to Kenney’s campaign.
Dilworth Paxson LLP—the law firm where trustee and former mayoral candidate Nelson Diaz works—has donated a total of $13,500 to two candidates. Kenney was given $10,000 while Dougherty received $3,500.
Trustee Leonard Barrack’s law firm, Barrack, Rodos and Bacine, has donated $10,000 to Dougherty through its state PAC.
The Comcast Corporation has made several donations to candidates running for office Tuesday. Bret Perkins, a trustee since 2012, is vice president of external and governmental affairs for Comcast. Regarding Tuesday’s elections, the corporation has donated $5,742.92 toward Kenney.
Steve Bohnel can be reached steve.bohnel@temple.edu or on Twitter @Steve_Bohnel.
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