1997 AGN APR 15 I25 - Laserfiche WebLink

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A AGENDA REPORT CITY OF COLTON For City Council Meeting of April 15, 1997 April 9, 1997 TO: MAYOR GAYTAN, CITY COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER FROM: Julie Hayward Biggs, City Atto e SUBJECT: Proposition 208 Proposition 208, which was adopted by the electorate in November of 1996, has some important provisions that all elected officials and potential candidates for public office must be aware of. Proposition 208 imposes new contribution limits and a system of voluntary expenditure limits, makes a number of technical changes in the law, and substantially increases the penalties for violations of the Political Reform Act, including conflict of interest provisions. Proposition 208 took effect on January 1, 1997 and applies to every campaign for state and local office in California. It does not apply to ballot measure campaigns such as referendum, initiative or recall elections (except with regard to certain major donor disclosure requirements in campaign advertisements). Proposition 208 does apply to those who run for election in recall elections, however. Contribution Limits Proposition 208 strictly limits the amount of money that individuals may contribute to a candidate or to a candidate's controlled committee. In Colton, the maximum contribution from any individual is $100 per election, per candidate. Further, individuals are limited to contributing no more than $500 in any calendar year to any political action committee (PAC) not controlled by a candidate if that PAC donates money to candidates. Small contributor committees, which must have been in existence for at least six months at the time a contribution is made, and which must have a membership of at least 100 individuals each of whom contributes $50 or less in a calendar year, may contribute up to $1,000 to any candidate. A city may impose its own campaign contribution limitations so long as they are the same or more restrictive than the state standard. Item No. 25