With companies like Afterglow Beach, Blue Mountain Vineyard and Windsong Ranch contributing generously to candidates for Pierce County executive, you might think the tourism industry has taken a keen interest in local politics.

You’d never know a major property developer – Investco – was behind the contributions.

State records show prominent builders and developers including Sumner-based Investco have spent thousands of dollars on the hotly contested county executive race. Sometimes, they’ve done it through affiliates with names that offer no clue where the money is coming from.

The tactic allows the companies to far exceed regular campaign contribution limits.

Under state law, any single person or company is limited to contributing $800 to a Pierce County campaign. But some companies are able to get around that by contributing through their affiliates, each with its own $800 limit. It’s a tactic the Legislature considered banning in 2007.

State records show many local companies have contributed to county executive candidates through their affiliates. But three stand out:

 • Investco and its executives have given at least $18,950 to county executive candidates.

 • Corliss Resources, a separate company owned by relatives of Michael Corliss, who owns Investco, has pitched in at least $12,500.

 • Companies and executives affiliated with Tacoma-based contractor Tucci & Sons have given more than $19,000.

Together, these three companies have contributed at least $50,500 to candidates for county executive.

The primary beneficiaries: Republican Shawn Bunney of Lake Tapps and Democrat Calvin Goings of Puyallup.

Bunney has accepted more than $29,000 from companies and executives affiliated with those three firms. That includes money they donated to his 2006 County Council campaign that he later transferred to his current campaign.

Goings has received nearly $20,000 from the three companies and their executives.

The two other county executive candidates have received little or no money from those companies. Democrat Pat McCarthy – the only candidate to win the endorsement of the Master Builders Association of Tacoma-Pierce County – has accepted $1,600 from Investco-related companies. Independent Mike Lonergan of Tacoma has received none.

There’s nothing illegal about companies giving multiple contributions through their affiliates. But state Rep. Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish, said the practice gives some companies a big advantage over campaign contributors.

“Why should one guy get to write 10 checks?” Dunshee said. “It just violates the sense of fairness.”

WHAT THE RECORDS SHOW

The News Tribune examined campaign finance records on file with the state Public Disclosure Commission and checked the names and addresses of contributors against corporation documents on file with the Washington secretary of state.

The search showed that many companies contributing to candidates were controlled by other, better known companies in the South Sound.

The Corliss and Tucci companies aren’t the only ones using their affiliates to maximize campaign contributions. But they appear to have employed the practice more than most.

Records show Investco has donated through such companies as Afterglow Beach, Kloshe Aviation and Washington Vintners – all limited liability companies that list Investco as their agent in documents filed with the Secretary of State’s Office. Owner Michael Corliss also has contributed to candidates.

Campaign records show Corliss and his companies have contributed at least $8,150 to Bunney, $9,200 to Goings and $1,600 to McCarthy.

Corliss Resources and its executives have contributed through such companies as American Concrete and T&S Properties. The company and its executives – including President Scott Corliss – have given $8,300 to Bunney and $4,200 to Goings.

Tucci & Sons has contributed campaign money through such companies as NG Farms, Forza Investments and Leach Creek Investments. Records show the company and its executives have given at least $12,650 to Bunney and $6,400 to Goings.

Most of Bunney’s money from these firms came from his 2006 County Council re-election campaign.

Bunney ran unopposed in 2006, but raised more than $129,000 in cash – far more than the amount raised by other unopposed council candidates that year. He later transferred nearly all of the money to his 2008 campaign, after seeking permission from donors as required by state law.

The tactic allowed Bunney to capitalize on higher contribution limits in place in 2006. So instead of $800 per company, Bunney accepted up to $1,400 during his earlier campaign from some contributors affiliated with Investco, Corliss Resources and Tucci & Sons.

Investco spokeswoman Kathy Fewins confirmed The News Tribune’s contribution findings but said Michael Corliss was out of the country and unavailable for comment. She said she was not authorized to speak on his behalf.

A representative of Corliss Resources said Scott Corliss also was out of town and unavailable for comment.

Michael F. Tucci, president of Tucci & Sons, confirmed the newspaper’s findings and issued a brief statement in response to questions. The statement indicated Tucci family members are “proud to have been consistent and significant contributors to political campaigns and candidates over the years …”

“We feel it is part of our civic responsibility to do all we can to assure that qualified political candidates have the financial resources to run their campaigns and inform the electorate of their policies and qualifications,” Tucci said. “Most often, we contribute to both candidates in a campaign without regard to political affiliation.”

THE CANDIDATES RESPOND

Money from the three firms accounts for just a portion of the funds that construction, development and real estate firms have contributed to county executive candidates.

The industries have given tens of thousands of dollars to the candidates. In addition, the Master Builders Association of Tacoma-Pierce County and its political allies have spent more than $85,000 independently to support McCarthy’s campaign. (An earlier version of this story reported the amount was $49,000, but a new campaign finance report filed Monday shows more spending.)

The interest of those industries in county politics is no accident. County government deals in the kind of land-use and environmental regulations that affect the building industry. Local governments also award contracts for roads and other construction.

Recently, Goings accused the builders group of trying to buy the election through its spending on McCarthy’s campaign. McCarthy was quick to pounce Tuesday on news of Goings’ contributions.

“I think it shows how hypocritical and disingenuous these attacks have been,” McCarthy said.

Lonergan also criticized his rivals. “Clearly, I would be the one candidate who would be the most beholden to the taxpayer, rather than the government contractor,” he said.

Goings campaign spokesman John Wyble said Goings has received contributions from “a broad-based group of folks who are supporting him from all over the county in all walks of life.” He said those include labor, environmental and business groups.

Wyble said McCarthy’s campaign, by contrast, is more dependent on spending from builders.

Bunney said contributions from builders do not affect his decisions.

“I am happy to have the support of family businesses, both large and small,” Bunney said of the contributions from the three companies. “It never, ever affects the policy decisions that I make as a council member or will make as county executive.”

BILL WOULD HAVE OUTLAWED IT

Rep. Dunshee said the practice of contributing through affiliated companies is more widely used in the development industry than in others.

“Every time they have a different little subdivision or plat, it’s a different” company, Dunshee said.

Dunshee himself has benefited from the practice. He described a contributor “who sits down and stacks up six checkbooks, 10 checkbooks, and he writes checks out of every one of them.”

In 2007, Dunshee sponsored a bill that would have imposed a single contribution limit on affiliated limited liability companies. The measure passed the House but died in a Senate committee.

“The votes weren’t there, is the polite way to put it,” Dunshee said.

He said he may reintroduce the measure in the future.

David Wickert: 253-274-7341

blogs.thenewstribune.com/politics

Big spenders

Three companies together have contributed at least $50,500 to Pierce County executive candidates Shawn Bunney, Calvin Goings and Pat McCarthy. The figures include contributions from company executives and from affiliated companies.

CompanyBunneyGoingsMcCarthy

Corliss Resources$8,300$4,200$0

Investco$8,150$9,200$1,600

Tucci & Sons$12,650$6,400$0

Total$29,100$19,800$1,600