Republican candidate for state treasurer Kelly Schmidt raised $46,411 in her pre-general report filed last week while her Democratic-NPL opponent Mitch Vance is correcting his.

Schmidt's largest donor is Republican Gov. John Hoeven, who gave her $3,000.

After reporting last week that he took in $48,375 in his pre-general report, Vance is now reporting that he raised $27,860 from the beginning of the year until Oct. 15.

Vance said he had included money given to him after the Oct. 15 deadline for his pre-general report, including a $20,000 donation from the Democratic-NPL party given to him on Oct. 22 and another $515 in contributions.

The Democratic-NPL party also has given Vance an additional $20,000 this week, bringing their total contribution to Vance's campaign to $40,000.

In other campaign disclosure news, Public Service Commission Republican candidate Brian Kalk took in $144,566, according to his pre-general campaign finance report filed last week. The Democratic-NPL candidate Cheryl Bergian raised $67,378 in the same period.

Kalk's largest donations of $5,000 come from the North Dakota Farm Bureau and Corbin Robertson, CEO of the Houston-based Natural Resources Partners and a major donor to Republican campaigns around the country, according to the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics.

Bergian's largest donation of $10,000 in her pre-general report comes from the Democratic-NPL party, which also gave Bergian $17,500 last week.

Measures 1 and 2

Fargo Mayor Dennis Walaker joined members from the North Dakota Farmers Union and the North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives in Bismarck on Monday to tell voters to vote no on Measures 1 and 2 if they want property tax relief.

"I don't feel like they were extremely well thought out," Walaker said of the measures.

But proponents of Measures 1 and 2 say opponents to the measures are using fear tactics to scare voters about losing potential property tax relief.

Measure 1 would shore up a large chunk of oil revenue into a new trust fund that would be tougher for lawmakers to access. Measure 2 would cut income taxes in half and corporate income taxes by 15 percent.

Rep. Dave Weiler, R-Fargo, who introduced the language for Measure 1 in the 2007 session, said the state government would have enough money to support Measure 1 and property tax cuts in light of a growing budget surplus.

"We have enough money to do both," Weiler said. "We could pass the property tax relief the governor wants, pass Measure 1 and still have a lot of money left over."

NDFU President Robert Carlson said he would have preferred Measure 1 have a lower threshold for lawmakers to access the money in the trust fund proposed in the initiative.

Right now, lawmakers need a simple majority to access the money in the current trust fund. Under Measure 1 it would require a 75 percent vote in both chambers.

Dustin Gawrylow, spokesman for the Measure 2 sponsoring group Americans for Prosperity, said cutting income taxes will help spur economic activity.

Fundraising

for measures

Americans for Prosperity only reported campaign donation - amounting to $14,059.73 - comes from its Washington-based headquarters, according to their latest campaign finance report.

Partners to Protect North Dakota's Future, which is the opposition group to Measures 1 and 2, brought in more than $405,000, according to the group's latest campaign finance report.

Partners largest donor is the National Education Association, which contributed $200,000 in September. The North Dakota Public Employees Association gave $100,000 on Oct. 10.

Weiler said the Permanent Promise Coalition, which is supporting Measure 1, has taken in more than $40,000.

(Reach reporter Brian Duggan at 223-8482 or brian.duggan@;bismarcktribune.com.)