Second Worcester District: Brother can you spare a dime

According to campaign finance reports filed earlier this week, the two candidates for the Democratic nomination in the Second Worcester House District had so little money in the bank at the end of the reporting period that the candidates couldn't get together for dinner without bankrupting their accounts.

Pat Gerry (D-Gardner) and Amy Feeley-Knuuttila (D-Winchendon) combined to report $114.90 in cash on hand as of August 27, the end of the reporting period.

The two combined to raise just over $6,000 in the period from January 1 to August 27. Nearly all of that money was Gerry's, as the Gardner city councilor pulled in $5,670 during the reporting period. Of those contributions, over $1,700 was provided by Gerry himself. All of his itemized contributions before August 27 came from inside the district.

Gerry also listed a $300 donation from outgoing State Rep. Robert Rice (D-Gardner). The donation came from Rice's personal finances, not from his campaign account, which explains the large gift. Donations from one campaign to another are capped at $100.

Gerry's coffers were boosted after the reporting period with an additional $1,500 from Boston donors. As reported by CMassPolitics.com on Tuesday, $1,000 of that money came in the form of two maximum donations from members of popular Boston band, The Dropkick Murphys. The other $500 donation came from the owner of a tattoo parlor, who listed the same address as one of the musicians.

Gerry had just $62.93 left in his account before the influx of money from the Boston rockers.

Feeley-Knuutila reported just $369 in total receipts for the period. Her one large donation was from Richard Dumont of Winchendon, who gave $199 to the campaign. The other $170 in receipts were un-itemized.

Feeley-Knuutila ended the reporting period with just $51.97 in the bank.

Incredibly, the two Democrats were still in better financial shape than one of the two unenrolled candidates. Carolyn Kamuda (U-Gardner) reported a negative final cash balance, at $336.14 underwater.