When Councilor at Large Peter Yacobellis announced in August that he was dropping out of the 2024 Montclair municipal elections, in an email entitled “I Won’t Be Your Next Mayor,” the news caught many off guard, including the donors who contributed to Yacobellis’ campaign after he announced his plans to run for mayor back in May.
In his August email announcement to constituents, Yacobellis said: “I’ve reached a point in my life where I want to make choices that give me the opportunity to thrive and to be happy and healthy. Becoming Mayor of Montclair isn’t something that’s going to make me happy. I’m also choosing not to run for re-election to the Council as this really is about stepping back from this very public lifestyle overall, after I’ve fulfilled my commitment.”
Shortly after announcing the bombshell news, Yacobellis reached out to those who had supported his campaign financially.
“I want to respect what was the intention of your contribution while at the same time I have to be practical about winding down the campaign, paying bills that I’m obliged to pay and seeing what’s left thereafter. I do anticipate having a respectable amount of money left after all is said and done,” said Yacobellis, in an email to donors.
He then offered them the following options: A) Refund a pro-rata share of your contribution from remaining funds, after all campaign expenses are paid; B) Allow me to use the funds to support new people running for Mayor and Council in Montclair in the next cycle; C) Allow me to use the funds to support up and coming queer candidates for office in New Jersey, including school board candidates; D) Spread the funds across Montclair-based non-profit organizations; E) A blend of B, C, and D.
Earlier this month, Yacobellis heard back from 106 people, and shared this breakdown of their preference: 29 chose option A; 23 chose option B; 8 chose option C; 24 chose option D; and 22 chose option E.
Yacobellis said he raised approximately $40,000 in Quarter 2.
“I had some money in the bank leading into that, I think around $10K. I’m giving a bunch of refunds and supporting other candidates,” said Yacobellis, who said he had a lot of expenses starting up the campaign, including hiring consultants.
“One was going to be $5K a month and I paid the first month,” said Yacobellis of a consultant. Other expenses included stationary, envelopes, and paying for a mailer distribution.
“I’m only incurring necessary expenses until everything is shut down completely. These include services such as legal, accounting/compliance, domain/website/email and paying out remaining commitments to any consultants for work performed,” said Yacobellis, who added that the campaign will process pro rata refunds to donors who requested option A in the fall.
Yacobellis’ plan is to completely wind down and close the campaign and the accounts by the end of the year. “All of this activity will be reflected across both Q3 and Q4 campaign filings,” he said.
On Saturday, Yacobellis shared how he would distribute $7,000 in monies that his mayoral campaign donors allowed him to pass on to local non-profits at his discretion.
Yacobellis, in looking at all of Montclair’s local nonprofits, chose the following, awarding $1,000 each to: Northeast Earth Coalition; Laptop Upcycle; Start Out Fresh Intervention Advocates; Montclair Emergency Services for the Homeless; Friends of the Howe House; Montclair Neighborhood Development Corp.; and Montclair Gateway to Aging in Place.
“Ask any campaign donor when the last time a candidate offered them a refund was,” said Yacobellis, adding he wanted to be transparent about the process. “Politicos told me I’m crazy — I should keep the money to have a mini war chest to sit on and leverage.”
Candidates who drop out of a race often donate their money to other campaigns or candidates, giving money to state and local candidates or donating surplus funds to charity, an option that often happens when a candidate does not tend to run again or pursue office in the future.
In August, Yacobellis stated he is “uncomfortable on a dais or behind a podium,” and indicated he wants to step away from politics and the related pressures.
“To some extent, I think I inadvertently ended up back on a path of seeking acceptance in the wrong place in terms of politics and it’s not a healthy one for me.”
Even here Peter manifests the haughtiness that grated against so many.
I am Peter Yacobellis and I am the highest integrity candidate because I am giving money back on a defunct campaign.
Just give the money back absent the hoopla and sail into the sunset with dignity.
Still bragging. What kind of politician gives money back? He will brag to the end. Oh, and mini war chest and leverage for exactly what? I wish he would go get some employment and just go away.
“To some extent, I think I inadvertently ended up back on a path of seeking acceptance in the wrong place in terms of politics and it’s not a healthy one for me.’
How revealing this statement is. It seems me, to either enter into or end up back in (any level of) politics for the idea of acceptance is, at best, a grossly misguided error in judgement. I have always considered the concept of public service to be the prime motivation and principal driver.
Mr. Yacobellis needs to have a conscientious look into his future career path, and we, as responsible voters, need to do better due diligence in vetting our candidates, lest the current behavior at 205 perpetuate into the next election cycle.
Hey Peter: wanna make a positive imprint? Vote no on reappointing this awful, awful Clerk. Don’t stick us with her. PLEASE.
Discipulus, you are so sweet and naive. Perhaps because you are young. Give it a few years and you will become appropriately bitter and cynical.
You are assuming Yacobellis gives an excrement. He does not. He will vote with Spiller tonight and saddle us with Nieves. Why should he care – he probably has a job already lined up through the inscrutable channels of NJEA.
I’m not on social media but I have myriad emails just from today from residents who say: “We can’t possibly have Nieves as Clerk for the next 3 decades!”
Well, Council people, it’s up to you. We know you will have this ugly vote after midnight. But even if we, the residents, fall asleep before you get to your ugly deed, you will still have to live with it.
Nieves will be your dirty legacy.