Long Beach : Public Campaign Financing

Instead of continued study of the issue, a Long Beach City Council committee has decided to pursue public financing of candidates as the best way to regulate local political campaign contributions and spending.

Councilman Tom Clark, who chairs the finance committee, said the city attorney was asked to report within 60 days on how public financing has worked in other cities. Public financing was chosen by the committee over alternative proposals to model requirements after Los Angeles’ campaign contribution law or to simply study the entire issue further.

“This is a more affirmative step because it says we’re not going to study it. We’ve decided this is the best option,” Clark said.

Public financing was preferred by the committee because it limits the amount that a candidate can receive in contributions, not just trying to limit spending for political races, according to Clark. He said that whatever recommendation emerges from the discussions could be put before voters next June or November as a city charter amendment.