15,458 / 66.4% Yes votes ...... 7,833 / 33.6% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Under the current Ordinance that was adopted by the City Council in 2003, the maximum aggregate amount that an individual or entity can contribute to someone's campaign in any Election Cycle or towards the retirement of campaign debt is $500. The proposed measure would reduce the limit to $200 in any Election Cycle. This limit does not apply to contributions by a candidate for City Council and Mayor of his or her own funds to his or her own controlled committee.

The proposed measure would require each candidate for City Council or Mayor, or candidate committee, or Council Member or Mayor, to provide detailed itemization, as defined in the California Political Reform Act of 1974, for all contributions received in excess of $25. Under current state law, contributions from any contributor that aggregates $100 or more require such detailed itemization.

Under the current Ordinance any person or entity making independent expenditures which aggregate in excess of $99 during any Election Cycle must deliver notice to the City Clerk that sets forth the amount of such expenditure, a detailed description of the use of such expenditure, the name of the candidate whom the independent expenditure is intended to support or oppose, other information required under a form of the California Fair Political Practices Commission, and a statement indicating that the material, display or broadcast was not authorized by a candidate or committee controlled by the candidate. The proposed measure would reduce the amount requiring such notice and reporting to $25 and would, in addition to current reporting requirements, require that any person or entity making such an expenditure disclose in any political message produced by the expenditure, the name, address and phone number of the person or organization, the name of the registered agent, and amount of the expenditures and indicate that the advertisement of the material is not authorized by a candidate.

With the exception of these proposed amendments the remainder of the existing Ordinance would essentially remain the same.

If approved by a majority of those voters voting on the measure, the proposed measure provides that it would become effective 30 days after such vote.

s/ Richard R. Rudnansky
Petaluma City Attorney

Campaign costs for the essentially unpaid positions of Petaluma mayor and city council member have spiraled out of control. Some candidates have raised and spent over $40,000 on recent campaigns. Contribution records show an increasing percentage of this money comes from out-of-town businesses, particularly development- related businesses that stand to gain or lose millions according to city council decisions.

Large campaign contributions help well-funded special interests elect the candidates they favor.

This ballot measure, a citizen's initiative brought forward by the local, all-volunteer group Petaluma Tomorrow (http://www.petalumatomorrow.org), will restore meaningful campaign finance reform to Petaluma. Every significant contribution will have to be reported, and the lower contribution limit will make it harder for special interests to divide up large contributions among multiple individuals. The measure's provisions could be changed only by a vote of the people, or by unanimous city council vote.

This initiative will not solve all the problems in our electoral system, but it will help reduce the influence of special interest money in a measured, yet significant, way that has been widely upheld by the courts. It is an important step for Petaluma in the direction of open, representative government that will work for the broad public interest.

PETALUMA TOMORROW
Larry B. Modell, Chair

s/ David A. Glass

s/ Pamela Torliatt

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS
s/ Corol Ann Fontana-Cary, President

CALIFORNIA COMMON CAUSE
s/ Rebecca Avila, Chair

(No arguments against Measure R were submitted)