No contribution of money or any other thing
of value, including in-kind contributions, made by a professional
business entity to any municipal candidate for Mayor or Council, or
municipal party committee, county or state party committee or political
action committee shall be deemed a violation of this article, nor
shall an agreement for property, goods, or services of any kind whatsoever,
be disqualified thereby, if that contribution was made by the professional
business entity prior to the effective date of this article.
It is anticipated that there may be some professional
business entities which determine to attempt a legalistic adherence
to the letter rather than the spirit of this article. It is the declared
intent of this municipal governing body to remain vigilant to recognize
such attempts to subvert the underlying purposes for which this article
was adopted. Any professional business entity which may attempt such
creative subversion does so at its peril. If and in the event creative
actions are taken in order to defeat the purposes of this article,
it is the intention of the governing body to enact appropriate clarification
of this article, which clarification shall be retroactive to the initial
effective date of this article thereby disqualifying such creative
professional business entities from serving the Borough. Changes to
this article which are not for purposes of clarification, but which
are amendments to the provisions hereto, shall become effective upon
adoption and publication according to law.
This article may be repealed only upon four
affirmative votes of full membership of the governing body.