Paul Reynolds got the most votes among the four candidates competing for two seats on the Board of Selectmen last month and he spent the most money doing it.
Reynolds spent $17,221.50 on his campaign, $15,000 more than the candidate who came in fourth, Russell Poole, devoted to his effort, according to campaign finance reports filed with the Town Clerk's office last week. Poole spent only $1,608.33 and got 436 votes.
Candidates are required to file a pre-election campaign finance report eight days before the municipal election and a post-election report 30 days after the election, according to the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance.
Although Reynolds won the election, more money did not always translate to more votes at the polls on April 12. Sarah MacDonald came in second with 2,907 votes, thereby claiming one of the seats. But she spent $2,000 less than her closest rival, Tom Polito, who got 1,903 votes and spent $15,971. MacDonald spent $13,931.
While Polito, MacDonald and Reynolds all spent nearly $10,000 or more on advertising, printing, mailing and postage, the top three candidates gave some of their biggest printing jobs to Hyde Park, Dorchester and Boston companies, not Dedham businesses.
That's because it's common practice for candidates to patronize union print shops affiliated with either the International Allied Printing Trades Council or the Graphic Communications Conference International Union, said George Carlsen, president of Allied Printing's Boston Council.
A small logo, called a "union bug" is printed onto signs, fliers and other campaign literature produced by union labor. It behooves a candidate to have this logo on signs and campaign literature.
"Why do they do it? Because they think it's a good idea," said Carlsen.
Reynolds said he looked to businesses in Boston for his campaign printing needs because he didn't know of any union-affiliated print shops in Dedham.
Reynolds paid hefty sums to out-of-town, union-affiliated printing and advertising outfits, including $4,434.35 to Murdock Printing & Mailing in Boston for "Supervoter cards," $1,610 to Red Sun Press in Jamaica Plain for printing cards, $2,470 to Richard Advertising in Dorchester for signs and bumper stickers and $688 to the Grenier Print Shop in Jamaica Plain.
"We use the union companies because they have a high level of experience and knowledge," said Adam Landry. "It is the generally accepted practice for printing for political campaigns, and for good reason. Many campaigns have used the same companies because they deliver quality products in a cost-effective, efficient and timely manner."
Reynolds did go local for the purchase of sign lumber, however, spending $283.23 at the Curtis-Newton Corp. of Dedham.
Polito also used Curtis-Newton Corp. of Dedham, but spent more than $7,000 combined on printing at Union Printworks of Hyde Park and the Boston-based Boyd's Direct, both union-affiliated companies.
And while MacDonald also went to Union Printworks, with a $2,174 order, and spent $1,743 at Richard Advertising, she paid $3,202 for mailings to the Dedham company, the Chick Montana Group for mailings, lawn signs, palmcards and other supplies.
MacDonald recorded the highest number of union contributions, garnering at least $2,475 in support from the New England Regional Council of Carpenters, the Carpenters Union Local 33, and other organizations.
Daily News staff writer Anna Kivlan can be reached at 781-433-8336 or at akivlan@cnc.com
