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LWV League of Women Voters of California
Smart Voter
San Francisco County, CA November 7, 2000 Election
Proposition O
Public Campaign Financing
City of San Francisco
Ordinance, placed on the ballot by the San Francisco Ethics Commission

143,881 / 52.6% Yes votes ...... 129,423 / 47.4% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures
Information shown below: Summary | Fiscal Impact | Arguments |

Shall the City provide public financing to candidates for the Board of Supervisors, limit contributions to independent committees, and limit the overall amount a person or group may contribute to all City candidates and political committees?

Summary:
Proposition O would provide public financing for qualified candidates running for supervisor as an incentive to remain within voluntary spending limits. It would limit the total contributions that any individual may make to candidates or committees to $500 ($250 in a run-off election) times the number of vacant city offices. It would limit the amount of money an individual may loan his/her own campaign to $15,000. It would require additional disclosure for committees that make independent expenditures on behalf of candidates.

Fiscal Impact from the Controller:
Should the proposed ordinance be adopted, in my opinion, it would result in costs of up to $1.6 million annually for direct contributions to eligible Board of Supervisors candidates, auditing and administration of the program.

Arguments Submitted

Summary of Arguments FOR Proposition O:
Passage of this proposition would allow qualified candidates for supervisor with limited financial means to get their message out to voters.

Proposition O would cost only $2 per resident per year.

This proposition would level the playing field between incumbents and challengers.

Proposition O would reduce the influence of special interest money and would stop wealthy candidates from making unlimited loans to their own campaigns.

Summary of Arguments AGAINST Proposition O:
Proposition O would spend money on political candidates that could be spent for other things.

With district elections, candidates do not have a problem getting their message out due to lack of funds.

Proposition O would limit free speech as guaranteed by the First Amendment.

The passage of proposition O would waste City resources by having to defend the initiative from court challenges.

Proposition O would constitute an inappropriate expenditure of public funds.

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Created: January 25, 2001 02:34
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