WORCESTER—As the Nov. 4 municipal election approaches, campaign finance reports filed with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance show clear distinctions in how Worcester’s mayoral and at-large candidates are raising money and spending it.
Mayor Joseph Petty has raised $111,997.09 from 442 donations. His campaign finance reports show significant support from developers, real estate executives, and health care leaders, with more than two dozen $1,000 contributions.
Those include Jane Guthro of Eden, Rafferty Tetreau, Elrich; Donna George and Edward Salloom of Salloom Realty; David Fontaine of Fontaine Brothers; James Chacharone; Francis Madigan of J.W. Madigan Co.; and James Umphrey of Kelleher & Sadowsky. Other $1,000 donors include executives from Trinity Development, NFS Leasing, Parvin Construction, Reliant Medical Group, Krock Real Estate, and Yatco Energy.
Notable organizational donors to Petty’s campaign include the Worcester-Fitchburg Building Trades Council ($500), UA Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 4 PAC ($500) and Sheet Metal Workers Local 63 ($250), as well as police and veterans-related support including IBPO Local 504.
Petty’s 189 expenditures total $52,123.53, covering campaign invitations ($1,054.74), more than $2,600 in signs, more than $1,000 in August advertising, $2,500 to Princeton Research, $600 for Shrewsbury Street Italian Parade tickets, and $1,070 to Wan Wang on Jan. 5, 2024 for inauguration food. Donations were also made to local causes including Veterans Inc. and Tatnuck Babe Ruth Baseball.
Khrystian King, also running for mayor, has logged $36,007.37 from 412 contributions. His largest donations include $1,000 from real estate professional Adam Gaval and several $500 contributions from labor-affiliated PACs including SEIU 32BJ, SEIU Local 509 and the MA & Northern NE Laborers District Council.
Additional $500 donors to King include legislator Marybeth O’Day and COO Sabatino Guerrero. His report shows recurring support from sheet metal, laborers, and carpenters unions, plus a $500 contribution from the Committee of Interns and Residents in Long Island. His spending of $13,541.65 across 153 items includes nearly $2,200 for printing and lawn signs, $483 for a fundraiser at Mexitown Bar & Grill and a $500 stipend for fundraising consulting.
Campaign filings for Owura-Kwaku Sarkodieh, among the three active mayoral candidates, list $5,790.54 raised from 58 donations. The candidate contributed $700 to his own run and received multiple $500 donations, including from Beaumont Nursing Home nurses and from African Spectrum newspaper editor Berko Owusu. The campaign has spent $3,676.21 across 54 expenditures, with almost $1,500 for yard signs and $400 toward a campaign website.
Although no longer actively running for mayor, Edson Montero remains on the ballot for both mayor and councilor-at-large since he did not withdraw. His filings list $615 from 10 contributions, including $150 from Julio Abreu and $100 each from business owners and local supporters. Expenses of $781.05 include more than $500 for campaign literature.
Cayden Davis has raised $19,496.70 from 365 contributions, consisting mostly of small-dollar ActBlue gifts. Larger donations include $500 from Nancy Raymond and $250 from statistician Douglas Arbetter. Additional notable contributions include $100 from former councilor Thu Nguyen and $20 from journalist Bill Shaner. Davis reports 302 expenditures totaling $7,574.10, including $2,002.39 for lawn signs and $2,000 for the Mass Democratic Party’s ActBlue Votebuilder tool.
Satya Mitra reports one of the highest totals in the race, raising $95,133.99 from 247 contributions. Many donations arrive from retirees, health professionals, and tech and engineering executives, including numerous $1,000 contributions from individuals linked to companies such as Verinume, Air Worldwide, Baystate Health, Oracle, and Dell.
The filings for Mitra reveal geographic breadth in contributions, stretching from Massachusetts to New York and India, along with multiple family contributions exceeding $1,000. Notable local business support includes $250 from Creedon & Co. Expenditures total $50,785.03 across 125 items, including $6,714.75 for mailings, $1,717 for iHeartRadio ads, $1,800 for video production, and $1,484 for a TV commercial, along with $1,368.75 for signs and $1,000 for Facebook advertising.
Jermoh Kamara has taken in $19,326.12 across 222 donations. Larger contributions include $500 each from Elaine Evans, Margaret Wong, and Adekunle Fajana, and $300 from UPS driver Gino Nuzzolilo. The campaign has spent $14,810.14 for 55 items including $1,168 and $700 on separate lawn-sign purchases, $396.24 for an El Basha fundraiser, $305.47 at Aelux Lounge, $839.38 on printing, $600 on digital marketing and $2,500 in consulting fees.
For Donna Colorio, reported campaign receipts come to $25,852.20 from 162 donations. Top contributors include $1,000 from Network Insurance’s Cheryl Shea and two $500 donations from Hassan Yatim of Hmyatim Ventures. Other notable support includes Worcester County Sheriff Lew Evangelidis with multiple contributions and $200 from Worcester REPCC. Expenditures totaling $5,133.84 include $1,465.37 for a mailer, $737 for signs, and small local charitable contributions such as $250 to St. John’s Food for the Poor.
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Jessica Pepple has raised $2,344.27 in 35 contributions, with several $100 donations among the largest. Contributors include registered behavior technician Neeshawn Ferdinand, consultant Harold Hubschman, and Matt Cooney of RFK Community Alliance. Her 16 expenditures total $1,770.09, including $200.79 to VistaPrint for door hanger printing and $717.19 for yard signs.
Another incumbent, Morris Bergman, has collected $42,978.99 from 337 donations. Large contributions include $1,000 each from Bessie Hazard and Jeanne Rafferty, along with $500 from several supporters including Ben Herlinger. Labor organizations including the Worcester-Fitchburg Building Trades Council and Central MA AFL-CIO also donated. His 69 expenditures total $35,527.85, reflecting higher-cost media strategies such as $3,830 for iHeartMedia WTAG radio ads, $5,748.42 in mailers, $3,000 for social media marketing, and $1,196 for a campaign poll, along with $750 for a fundraiser at Pepe’s.
Kate Toomey shows $23,882.23 from 216 contributions, led by multiple $500 PAC donations from unions including the MA & Northern NE Laborers District Council, IBEW Local 96, and Voter Education Fund Local 170 Drive. Additional top donors include retired resident Paul Tinsley and others who gave $500 each. Spending amounts to $13,657.88 over 118 transactions. Much of her budget has gone to visibility and community presence through signage at numerous local Little League fields, along with charitable contributions such as $250 to St. John’s Food for the Poor.
Gary Rosen has raised $4,338 from 18 contributions. His largest donors include retired educators Dorothy and Maria Rosen, retired teacher Gary Rosen himself, and CEO Mark Rosen, each giving $500. A $500 donation also came from the Carpenters Union Local 336. Rosen’s expenditures of $2,513.30 include $2,125.75 for lawn signs and $250 for Halloween decorations donated to St. John’s Food for the Poor.
As the Nov. 4 election approaches, campaign finance continues to shape the visibility and momentum of Worcester’s citywide races, from mailers and signs to polling and digital outreach. The OCPF consistently updates reports through Election Day, offering voters a running look at who is investing in the candidates and how those dollars are being spent.
See also:
- At-large council candidates debate federal funding cuts
- District council race: Who’s bringing in the donations (so far)?
- Worcester voter guide: how, when and where to vote
- Many in Worcester don’t vote; some are trying to change that
Stay with us as Worcester heads into the final days of the 2025 municipal election. We’ll continue covering the candidates, key issues and what’s at stake for every neighborhood — and we’ll have live updates as results come in on election night. Editor Charlene Arsenault can be reached at carsenault@theworcesterguardian.org.
