[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Council of the Village of Ridgewood 6-21-2000
by Ord. No. 2704. Amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
Any individual seeking election to a public office of the federal,
state, county or municipal government, school district or political organization.
Any person holding elective municipal office or holding an appointed
position in the municipal government, or in any agency, commission, board
or office thereof, whether the position is full-time or part-time, compensated
or uncompensated; and any employee of municipal government or of any agency,
commission, board or office thereof, whether the position is full-time or
part-time.
This municipality and any officer, department, board, commission
or agency thereof.
Includes all loans and transfers of money or other thing of value
to or by any candidate, elected official or political organization and all
pledges or other commitments or assumptions of liability to make any such
transfer. Contributions shall be deemed to have been made upon the date when
such commitment is made or liability assumed.
Any two or more persons acting jointly, or any corporation, partnership
or any other incorporated or unincorporated association which is organized
to, or does, aid or promote the nomination, election or defeat of any candidate
or candidates for federal, state, county, municipal or school board office.
Political organization includes, but is not limited to, organizations otherwise
defined as "political committee," "joint candidates committee," "legislative
leadership committee," and "continuing political committee," "political party
committee" and "candidate committee."
The term "public property" means all real and personal property owned,
leased or controlled by the Village, including but not limited to buildings,
structures, vehicles, phones, fax machines, computers, stationery, including
municipal letterhead, postage or other office equipment or supplies and other
real or personal property owned, leased or controlled by the municipality,
except for public roads and open park land.
To seek by oral or written communication a contribution as same is
defined herein.
A.Â
Prohibition against soliciting or accepting political
contributions on public property.
(1)Â
No municipal official, employee or appointee may solicit,
commit to pay or receive payment of or a commitment to pay any contribution
for any candidate, elected official or political organization while in or
on public property or utilizing public property. This section shall include
solicitation or acceptance of political contributions made over the telephone
or by use of a computer, including private telephones and computers, if the
person soliciting or accepting the political contribution or using the telephone
or computer for purposes of soliciting or accepting the political contribution
is in or on any public property.
B.Â
Prohibited forms of fund-raising.
(1)Â
Prohibited forms of fund-raising by municipal officials,
employees or appointees shall include, but are not limited to:
(a)Â
Soliciting or accepting contributions using municipal
telephones, fax machines or computers.
(b)Â
Soliciting or accepting contributions using personal
telephones while on the property of the municipality.
(c)Â
Soliciting or accepting contributions through the use
of publicly owned computers or privately owned personal computers while on
the property of the municipality.
(d)Â
Using municipal letterhead to solicit or accept contributions.
(e)Â
Sending correspondence from municipal buildings or by
use of municipal services, equipment or postage.
(f)Â
Face-to-face soliciting of an individual or an owner
or representative of a business entity while on the property of the municipality.
(g)Â
Use of automobiles owned or leased by the municipality
to accept or solicit contributions.
C.Â
This chapter shall not be construed to prohibit the use
of public property by organizations, including political organizations, for
meetings.
