Mobil Sets Record for Campaign Spending

Mobil Oil Corp. has set a record for campaign spending in Torrance, so far paying more than $360,000 in the hope of defeating a March 6 ballot measure that would eliminate the use of hydrofluoric acid at its refinery there.

Mobil has said a conversion to less volatile sulfuric acid would cost $100 million. The oil company has far outspent supporters of the measure, who reported $7,600 in expenditures through Feb. 17.