Give me a Nickel, Brother can you spare a Dime?

The 10 Brentwood City Commission candidates recently filed financial disclosure statements covering January 1 through March 31, 2009. Examination of the filings reveals some interesting information -- doesn't it always?

How much did the candidates spend at Brentwood businesses on campaign expenses?

Rhea Little spent $5946.92

Paul Webb spent $3465.85

Rod Freeman spent $2492.61 

Other than federal postage purchased in Brentwood (which generates no city revenue), no other itemized candidate expenses went to Brentwood businesses.

How much did the candidates spend OUTSIDE Brentwood?

Joe Reagan spent $4918.47 

• ($2629 to Nashville-based Comcast TV advertising; $1613.05 to Illinois-based company for yard signs and t-shirts; $323.47 to Franklin-based printer; $200 to Joelton-based web designer; $152.95 to Franklin-based magnetic sign company)

Devin McClendon spent $2249.40 

• ($1909 to California-based yard sign company; $223 on digital printing & $116 on emails to separate Nashville-based companies)

Rhea Little spent $1831.47 

• (Pennsylvania-based yard sign company)

Rod Freeman spent $462.25 

• (BrentwoodLife newspaper advertising)

Paul Webb spent $452.29 

• ($289.51 to Nashville-based t-shirt company; $162.78 on Nashville-based computer software)
  

Candidate Regina Smithson's only itemized expenditure on this filing was for mailing labels available only at the county offices in Franklin. Candidates Patsy George, Lydia Hampton, Natalie Mertie, and Miguel Palmer were not required to itemize expenses so it's unknown how much of their expenditures were spent in Brentwood. 

Since purchases from Brentwood businesses generates sales tax revenue for the City of Brentwood in the amount of 1.125%, every dollar spent in Brentwood produces about one cent for the city coffers. That's in addition to the 1.125% that goes to Williamson County Schools. 

So, to candidates Rhea Little, Paul Webb, and Rod Freeman -- THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF BRENTWOOD BUSINESSES. (Maybe next time your spending can be "exclusively" Brentwood-based!)

And to candidates Joe Reagan and Devin McClendon -- BRENTWOOD WOULD LOVE YOUR BUSINESS.

For candidates George, Hampton, Mertie, Palmer, and Smithson -- when the time comes to spend some campaign funds, we hope you SPEND IT IN BRENTWOOD.