Santa Clarita to Weigh Limits on Campaign Contributions

The Santa Clarita City Council will consider a proposal next week that would limit campaign contributions in municipal elections.

The proposal is the brainchild of the Santa Clarita Organization for Planning and Environment, a watchdog citizens group commonly known as SCOPE.

Under the proposal, candidates for City Council could not accept more than $250 from a single contributor. Candidates could borrow no more than $250 from individuals and no more than $1,000 from any one bank to finance their campaigns.

Moreover, candidates could not accept contributions from people “with assumed names” or from businesses contracting with the city. Businesses with bids pending on city contracts would also be prohibited from contributing to City Council races.

Donations from anonymous contributors would be limited to no more than $50 per contribution.

Curbing Influence

The group recommended the fund-raising restrictions to water down the influence of developers over planning, SCOPE President Robert Silverstein said Friday. Such influence over the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors produced runaway development that has overcrowded the schools and clogged the streets of the Santa Clarita Valley, he charged.

“They buy their votes,” Silverstein said of developers. “And we don’t think that’s fair.”

Santa Clarita, incorporated Dec. 15, 1987, has had only one election. Silverstein said his organization hopes that the council approves campaign restrictions now to avoid problems in the future.

Three council members--Dennis Koontz, Jo Anne Darcy and Carl Boyer III--will face reelection in April, 1990.

In a Feb. 6 memo to the City Council released Friday, City Atty. Carl K. Newton said state law would allow Santa Clarita to enact all but one of the recommendations. The group had recommended a $7,200 limit on overall spending per candidate, but state law prohibits the city from limiting campaign spending, Newton said.

The City Council will discuss the proposal in the council chambers, 23920 Valencia Blvd., at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.