A.
The City of Long Branch shall not enter into an agreement for professional services with any individual and/or professional business entity if that individual or entity has solicited or made any contribution of money or pledge of a contribution, including in-kind contributions, to a campaign of any City of Long Branch candidate for Council or Mayor in excess of the threshold specified in Subsection D of this section within one calendar year immediately preceding the date of the contract or agreement unless cured pursuant to § 19-3. The prohibition set forth in this subsection shall also apply to any solicitation or contribution of money or pledge of a contribution, including in-kind contributions, made during the applicable time period to any City of Long Branch or Monmouth County party committee, or to any political action committee (PAC) that is organized for the primary purpose of promoting or supporting City of Long Branch candidates for Council or Mayor, so long as the solicitation or contribution was made with the intention on the part of the contributor to conceal or misrepresent the source of the contribution.
B.
No professional business entity which enters into negotiations for, or agrees to, any contact or agreement with the municipality or any department or agency thereof or any of its independent authorities for the rendition of professional services shall knowingly solicit or make any contribution of money, or pledge of a contribution, including in-kind contributions, to any City of Long Branch candidate or holder of public office having ultimate responsibility for the award of the contract, in excess of the amount set forth herein. This subsection is to include any and all professionals who provide political contributions to any candidate for an office whether or not that candidate is presently in office or seeks office. The prohibition set forth in this subsection shall also apply to any solicitation or contribution of money or pledge of a contribution, including in-kind contributions, to any City of Long Branch or Monmouth County party committee, or to any political action committee (PAC) that is organized for the primary purpose of promoting or supporting City of Long Branch candidates for Council or Mayor, so long as the solicitation or contribution was made with the intention on the part of the contributor to conceal or misrepresent the source of the contribution.
C.
For purpose of this article, a "professional business entity" seeking a public contract means an individual, including the individual's spouse, if any, and any child living at home; person; firm; corporation; professional corporation; partnership; organization; or association. The definition of a business entity includes all principals who own 10% or more of the equity in the corporation or business trust, partners and officers in the aggregate employed by the entity as well as any subsidiaries directly controlled by the business entity.
D.
Any individual meeting the definition of "professional business entity" under this section may annually contribute a maximum of $500 per candidate for Mayor and/or Council Member on an annual basis, whether or not that individual has a professional services contract in place or not, to the maximum extent of $3,000 per annum per business entity. This subsection shall apply to any presently sitting Councilperson and/or the Mayor of the City of Long Branch and shall also apply to any individual who seeks to run for the office of Council person and/or Mayor of the City of Long Branch.
(1)
Any individual that owns less than 10% of a professional business entity which contracts with the City of Long Branch shall not be treated as a part of that entity.
E.
For purposes of this section, the office that is considered to have ultimate responsibility for the award of the contract shall be:
