As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
has the same meaning as defined in the Political Reform Act provided that that the term shall be limited to candidates for City elective office for the purpose of this chapter.
has the same meaning as defined in Government Code Section 82013 of the Political Reform Act, as amended. A committee includes, but is not limited to, "controlled committee" and "independent committee".
has the same meaning as defined in Government Code Section 82015 of the Political Reform Act, as amended.
means any committee which is controlled directly or indirectly by a candidate or which acts jointly with a candidate or controlled committee in connection with the making of expenditures. A candidate controls a committee if he or she, his or her agent, or any other committee such candidate controls has a significant influence on the actions or decisions of the committee.
means the office of City Council.
Unless otherwise specified in this chapter, any primary, general, special or recall election held in this state. The primary, general, special or recall elections are all separate elections for the purpose of this chapter.
means all committees other than controlled committees.
means an expenditure made by any person including a payment of public moneys by a state or local governmental agency, in connection with a communication which expressly advocates the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate or the qualification, passage or defeat of a clearly identified measure, or taken as a whole and in context, unambiguously urges a particular result in an election but which is not made to or at the behest of the affected candidate or committee.
means an individual, proprietorship, firm, partnership, joint venture, syndicate, business trust, company, corporation, limited liability company, association, committee, and any other organization or group of persons acting in concert.
means the California Political Reform Act of 1974 (Government Code Sections 81000 et seq., as amended).
(Ord. 208 § 3, 2021)
A.
No person shall make to a candidate for City elective office, or to a controlled committee of that candidate, a campaign contribution totaling more than $20,000.00 per election.
B.
No candidate for City elective office, nor a controlled committee of that candidate, shall accept from a person a campaign contribution totaling more than $20,000.00 per election.
C.
A candidate for City elective office may transfer campaign funds totaling no more than $20,000.00 per election from one controlled committee or campaign fund account to another controlled committee or campaign fund account for elective state, county or City office of the same candidate.
D.
The limitations of this section do not apply to a candidate's contributions of the candidate's personal funds to the candidate's own campaign.
E.
The limitations of this section do not apply to independent expenditures.
F.
In the event that a candidate for City elective office contributes more than $20,000.00 of the candidate's personal funds to the candidate's own campaign, is the beneficiary of an independent expenditure of more than $20,000.00, or transfers campaign funds totaling more than $20,000.00 from one controlled committee or campaign fund account to another controlled committee or campaign fund account for City elective office, all other candidates running in the election for that same city elective office are exempted from the campaign contribution limits of this section for that election as well.
G.
Beginning in January 2023, the campaign contribution limits in subsections A, B, C, and F of this section shall be increased by three percent on January 1 of every odd-numbered year. The City Clerk shall maintain a record of any increased contribution limits pursuant to this subsection and shall make such record available to the public and all candidates for City elective office.
(Ord. 208 § 3, 2021)
A candidate for City elective office or a controlled committee of that candidate shall not make a campaign contribution to any other candidate for city elective office in excess of the limits set forth in Section 2.44.030 of this chapter.
(Ord. 208 § 3, 2021)
A candidate for City elective office shall not personally loan to the candidate's campaign, including the proceeds of a loan obtained by the candidate from a commercial lending institution, an amount, the outstanding balance of which exceeds $100,000.00. A candidate for City elective office shall not charge interest on any loan the candidate made to the candidate's campaign.
(Ord. 208 § 3, 2021)
An elected officer of a City elective office may establish a committee to oppose the qualification of a recall measure, and the recall election. This committee may be established when the elected officer receives a notice of intent to recall pursuant to Elections Code Section 11021. An elected officer of a City elective office may accept campaign contributions to oppose the qualification of a recall measure, and if qualification is successful, the recall election, without regard to the campaign contribution limits set forth in this chapter. After the failure of a recall petition or after the recall election, the committee formed by the elected officer of a City elective office shall wind down its activities and dissolve. Any remaining funds shall be treated as surplus funds and shall be expended within 30 days after the failure of the recall petition or after the recall election for a purpose specified in Government Code Section 89519, Subdivision (b).
(Ord. 208 § 3, 2021)
A contribution for an election may be accepted by a candidate for City elective office after the date of the election only to the extent that the contribution does not exceed net debts outstanding from the election, and the contribution does not otherwise exceed the applicable contribution limits for that election as set forth in Section 2.44.030 of this chapter.
(Ord. 208 § 3, 2021)
Notwithstanding Section 2.44.030(C) of this chapter, a candidate for City elective office may carry over contributions raised in connection with one election for City elective office to pay campaign expenditures incurred in connection with a subsequent election for the same City elective office.
(Ord. 208 § 3, 2021)
Violations of this chapter are subject to administrative citations in accordance with Chapter 1.16 of this Code.
(Ord. 208 § 3, 2021)
Nothing in this chapter alters the requirements for electronic filing of campaign statements and the required online reporting of contributions and independent expenditures, which shall continue to be complied with by all candidates for City elective office.
(Ord. 208 § 3, 2021)