A political action committee for the state’s biggest public employees union recently bought a $15,000 television ad supporting at-large Tacoma City Council candidate Keven Rojecki, state campaign records show.

The expenditure – huge by Tacoma standards – comes on top of what’s already a high-spending race for the open Position 6 seat.

Listed in Rojecki’s campaign finance reports as an independent expenditure from the “Voter Education Committee,” the TV ad apparently began airing Oct. 26, according to Barbara Corcoran, who is affiliated with the Everett-based PAC of the Washington State County and City Public Employees.

More common in congressional and statewide races, an independent expenditure is a political action intended to help or oppose a candidate without the candidate’s direct cooperation.

Rojecki said he wasn’t aware the ad was coming, but caught it recently while watching “Countdown with Keith Olbermann” on MSNBC. His wife also saw the ad while watching Monday Night Football, he said.

“I am not entirely sure exactly what it said, because it ran so fast,” Rojecki said. “It basically looked like a support position for me.”

Now posted on YouTube, the 30-second spot features statements of support for Rojecki from state Sen. Rosa Franklin and Tacoma police officer Pat Franz.

“Keven Rojecki for Tacoma City Council,” the ad intones. “Prepared to serve. Ready to lead.”

Rojecki, a firefighter for the City of SeaTac, state Gambling Commission chairman and lobbyist for the state’s firefighters union, is running against Victoria Woodards, an assistant to Pierce County Councilman Tim Farrell and Metro Parks Tacoma board chairowoman.

Big bucks have flooded into the citywide race on both sides, with the latest reports showing Rojecki leading the money grab. He’s received nearly $89,000 in contributions (about $83,000 of it cash, with about $49,000 already spent), while Woodards has taken in just over $72,000 (about $69,000 in cash, with $51,000 spent), records show.

Cody Arledge, legislative director for Sheet Metal Union Local 66, said the Rojecki ad was funded by his union, as well as by the Washington State Council of Firefighters, the Tacoma Firefighters Local 31, Kent firefighters union and Service Employees International Union 775. These groups have participated in the past in making such donations through the Washington State Council of County and City Public Employees’ PAC, Arledge said.

“For most of us, we’ve been friends of Keven’s for years in the legislative scene,” Arledge said of the reason for the support.

For the state firefighters union, Rojecki has been “successful at building coalitions and bringing people together in Olympia,” Arledge added.

Rojecki’s campaign primarily has been bankrolled by tens of thousands of dollars from firefighters, their unions and PACs from around the state.

Woodards and supporters of her campaign, which is drawing contributions largely from within Tacoma, have raised questions as to the outside interest in the city race from Rojecki’s supporters. Rojecki has said the donors are simply friends and peers who believe in his leadership but otherwise have no real skin in the game. He, in turn, has questioned why local city employees would make large donations to Woodards’ campaign.

Arledge, of the sheet metal union, said most of the groups involved in funding the expensive TV ad actually have strong Tacoma ties. Along with the city’s fire union, he noted that the Washington State Council of Firefighters and his own union both have many Tacoma-based members.

“As far as this $15,000 donation goes, I don’t think you could say the majority of it is ‘out-of-Tacoma’ money,” Arledge said.

In recent days, both Rojecki and Woodards have been flooding the city with campaign mailers, a deluge that may continue through the weekend. Rojecki’s camp also has been widely placing “robo-calls” – automated phone calls with campaign messages – to the homes of city residents.

Tacoma Mayor Bill Baarsma thinks the $15,000 independent expenditure to Rojecki’s bid is the largest donation in any municipal race going back decades.

“Independent expenditure or otherwise, this is the biggest single donation I’ve ever heard in a City Council race, or any city race. By far,” he said.

The state Public Disclosure Commission Web site database shows no larger donation this year or for recent elections, but detailed contribution reports for previous years are not available electronically.

Baarsma, a former political science professor and Tacoma history wonk, said the biggest previous donation in any city race he can think of was dropped into the coffers of his opponent, Harold Moss, in the waning days of the 2001 mayor’s contest. George Russell donated $5,000 to Moss, who, in turn, put out a direct-mail piece against him featuring a cartoon rendering of Baarsma.

Baarsma is endorsing Rojecki’s opponent, Woodards.

Lewis Kamb: 253-597-8542

lewis.kamb@thenewstribune.com

BIG MONEY, TACOMA-STYLE

This year’s municipal contests are attracting major contributions, at least by Tacoma standards. Here are totals reported as of Friday.

CandidateOfficeContributionsExpendituresIndependent

Expenditures

Marilyn StricklandMayor$141,366$98,697$513

Jim MerrittMayor$136,481$126,587$418

Keven RojeckiCouncil Pos. 6$88,516$49,196$15,000

Victoria WoodardsCouncil Pos. 6$72,057$51,338

Marty CampbellCouncil Dist. 4$55,565$54,063$418

Beckie Summers KirbyCouncil Dist. 5$27,151$24,490

Jake FeyCouncil Dist. 2*$20,788$14,549$418

Joe LonerganCouncil Dist. 5$14,704$14,462

Roxanne MurphyCouncil Dist. 4$10,110$9,237

* unopposedSource: Public Disclosure Commision