The “Clean Slate” candidates in the Jefferson County school board recall campaign might be more aptly named the “Green Slate.”

That’s the color of money – and the candidates who are seeking to oust the conservative school board majority from power have a lot of it, according to campaign finance reports filed this week with the Secretary of State’s Office.

Fundraising committees backing Ron Mitchell, Susan Harmon and Brad Rupert collectively raised more than $75,500 during the campaign finance reporting period that ended Oct. 15. The trio filed candidacy paperwork Aug. 20, meaning it took them less than two months to accumulate that kind of money, an amount that is rarely seen in a local school board election.

The fundraising totals for committees to re-elect Board President Ken Witt and Vice President Julie Williams pale in comparison.

Witt’s contributions totaled just over $5,000 during the recent reporting period. Williams amassed just $625 – much of that money coming from her own wallet.

“I have not focused heavily on fund raising,” Witt said in an email to The Colorado Statesman. “Instead, I maintain my focus on improving Jeffco education, which I was elected to do. I am delighted that individuals, Jeffco moms, dads, retirees and those with an authentic focus on bettering the education of Jeffco students, are my primary donors to reject the recall, rather than those with a stake in returning to the old status quo. We must keep moving forward in Jeffco education.”

At press time, the fundraising committee that backs board Secretary John Newkirk had yet to post contribution totals.

Mitchell, Harmon and Rupert make up three-fifths of the so-called Clean Slate group of candidates who oppose the board majority. The other members are Ali Lasell and Amanda Stevens, who are running in regularly scheduled races for open seats. They have collectively raised more than $82,000, far outpacing their opponents Kim Johnson and Tori Merritts.

Witt, Williams and Newkirk will face Jeffco voters on Nov. 3 after recall organizers collected more than twice the number of required petition signatures from county residents seeking their ouster.

The conservative trio were elected two years ago by a wide majority of Jeffco voters. Since then, they have been at the center of several controversies involving policy decisions.

The recall petition alleges the board majority wasted taxpayer dollars and hid money from the public in their hiring of district Superintendent Dan McMinimee; violated open meetings laws by making decisions behind closed doors; and claim their policy decisions and proposed curriculum changes have caused teachers to leave the district and have alienated students.

Recall opponents argue the claims are ridiculous and contend there hasn’t been a single administrative or legal complaint filed against the board. (Witt earlier this month filed a complaint against himself with the state’s Independent Ethics Commission, asking that the panel investigate whether he violated open-meeting law, although a representative of the IEC said the commission lacks jurisdiction in the matter.) Supporters of the board majority say that recall backers resent efforts to enact popular school reforms, including increased teacher pay and equal funding for schools, which enhances school choice options.

Mitchell leads all recall candidates in fundraising, having amassed more than $46,076 in contributions. Harmon raised $34,644 and Rupert collected $33,406.

The largest single contribution made to all three candidates was made by a committee backed by the teachers union, the Jefferson County Education Association. The JCEA gave $3,000 to each candidate. Harmon also collected $3,000 from the committee backed by the Colorado Education Association.

There are no limits on contributions to school board campaigns in Colorado.

Former Jeffco Superintendent Cindy Stevenson contributed $1,900 to the three candidates. Others who made small-dollar contributions to one or all of the three recall challengers were state Board of Education member Jane Goff; current Jeffco school board member Jill Fellman; and former Democratic state Sens. Rachel Zenzinger and Evie Hudak.

Many of their donors are current or former Jeffco school employees, including teachers and retired teachers who gave small-dollar amounts.

Other recall challengers have raised far lower amounts. Former board member Paula Noonan has raised $385, most of it from herself. And Matthew Dhieux has self-funded his campaign thus far, having reported just $268 in contributions to himself.

The group that led the recall charge, Jeffco United For Action, boasts it has raked in $255,880 in contributions from 1,387 donors.

“The outpouring of support from people all over Jeffco has been amazing. From the people who have sent notes with their donations saying that they are sorry to have voted for the board majority and doing what they can to correct their error, to students giving us the change in their pockets, we have seen this community unite behind moving our schools forward like never before,” said Jeffco United For Action’s Tina Gurdikian in a media release.

Much of the money going to Jeffco United For Action has come from a separate 501(c)(4) nonprofit group called Jeffco United, which has contributed $90,000 the recall cause. That type of committee doesn’t have to disclose the names of donors.

Meanwhile, Jeffco United Forward, an independent expenditure committee designed to back all five “Clean Slate” candidates, reported $31,138 in contributions this cycle.

But it’s not like Witt, Williams and Newkirk aren’t getting any help to fight back the recall effort. The trio has been receiving extensive support from the Colorado chapter of Americans for Prosperity, the conservative group backed by billionaires David and Charles Koch. Last week, the organization said it would be airing TV ads “as part of a six-figure educational initiative involving mailers, door to door canvassing, online messaging and calls” to Jeffco voters.

And a committee opposed to the recall effort, Kids are First Jeffco, received $10,000 from Colorado Independent Action, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit group affiliated with the Independence Institute, a right-leaning free market think tank. Colorado Independent Action has also purchased TV ads for Williams that have aired on five local channels.

Jon Caldara, president of the Independence Institute, acknowledges that recall opponents have raised a lot of money. But he believes voters will support the candidates who have enacted the reforms Jeffco residents wanted.

“As people are finding out more about the reforms that have happened, people love the reforms, and the more they realize these people being recalled are the ones who did it, I think it bodes very well for them,” Caldara said.

“If this is a vote about policy changes that have happened for Jeffco kids, these board members win easily. If it’s about all the noise that has surrounded the allegations, then it’s going to be a tougher fight.”

– Twitter: @VicVela1