Reportable Interests

With so much discussion of policy priorities and who is backing whose campaign, attention is rarely paid to the candidates' personal finances. When a candidate runs for office, they need to fill out a conflict of interest form, where candidates and their spouses disclose their income, investments, property owned, etc. Public officials do not have to disclose income as many of the other candidates have, mainly since their salaries are public record already. Candidates also are not required to disclose property of their primary residence.

Here's the low-down for the contested races:

Fourth District

Bonnie Neely: Representing the Fourth District earns Neely about $85,000, while her husband rakes in $10,000 to $100,000 (that's how the forms work) as a Sacramento State law professor. She owns property in Trinidad worth $100,000 to $1,000,000.

Jeff Leonard: Aside from the money made as a member of the Eureka City Council, Leonard is a partner of Imagine That! Photography, which is a family business. He makes $10,000 to $100,000 working as a claims representative for State Compensation Insurance Fund. His wife works as a teacher at Ambrosini Elementary School in Fortuna.

Virginia Bass: On top of the minimal paycheck she earns as mayor of Eureka, Bass receives $10,000 to $100,000 from Eli Lilly, the world's tenth-largest pharmaceutical company, as a sales representative. Her husband earns over $100,000 as a mortgage consultant for Wells Fargo.

Fifth District

Ryan Sundberg: Sundberg owns Ryan Sundberg Insurance Agency worth $10,000 to $100,000 and also is a tribal member of the Trinidad Rancheria, worth over $1,000,000. He said the Rancheria is comprised of 210 members and all members receive profits from the casino, but those are not much (if anything). He also owns property in McKinleyville worth $2,000 to $10,000.

Patrick Higgins: Higgins earns $10,000 to $100,000 as a self-employed fisheries biology consultant and as a contractor for Kier Associates.

Patrick Cleary: Cleary is president of Lost Coast Communication and earns over $100,000 in that position. He also earned $10,000 to $100,000 as interim general manager for KHSU. His wife, Catherine Koshkin, has a law practice that earns her over $100,000.

Jeffrey Lytle: Lytle owns J.L. Construction, earning $10,000 to $100,000. He is also a third-party service contractor for the Northern California Soccer Officials Association/United States Soccer Federation, making $1,000 to $10,000 there.

District Attorney

Paul Gallegos: The District Attorney makes $12,532 a month. He has investments in the Law Office of Joan M. Gallegos, worth $100,000 to $1,000,000. Gallegos and his wife receive over a $100,000 from that practice.

Allison Jackson: Jackson is a general partner at the Harland Law Firm, where she earns over $100,000. Her spouse earns $10,000 to $100,000 as a carpenter for K.H. McKenny Construction.

Paul Hagen: Stated no reportable interests, although he works for Bragg, Perlman, Russ, Stunich and Eads LLP. Reached by phone, he stated that he makes between $10,000 to $100,000.

Sheriff

Micheal Downey: Stated no reportable interests, but a Humboldt County undersheriff -- his current position -- earns between $7,300 and $8,890 a month.

Michael Hislop: Stated no reportable interests, but a Chief District Attorney Investigator -- his current position -- is paid between $5,480 and $6,690 a month.

Assessor

Johanna Rodoni: Rodoni owns the Rodoni Ranch business and earns $10,000 to $100,000 from that enterprise. She owns property in the Scotia area worth $100,000 to $1,000,000, and leases two properties in Honeydew and Fortuna.

Jon Brooks: Brooks owns a business called Brooks Appraisal Services out of Arcata and makes over $100,000. He has earned income over $10,000 from CalTrans, Charles Benbow, Umpqua Bank, Western Timber Services and the Save the Redwoods League.

Mari Wilson: Stated no reportable interests, but her current position as Assistant Assessor is paid between $5,703 and $6,962 a month.

-- John Osborn