COSTA MESA : Council to Consider ‘Urgency’ Ordinance

The City Council tonight will consider adopting an “urgency” ordinance proposed by Councilman Orville Amburgey that would require council candidates to file last-minute campaign materials with the city clerk.

Amburgey asked the city attorney’s office to draft the ordinance, which must be approved by four of the five council members to take effect immediately.

Normally, an ordinance goes into effect 30 days after it is adopted.

The proposed ordinance would require candidates to file copies of campaign literature with the city clerk if they distribute more than 200 copies of a single document--such as a pamphlet, leaflet or sign--within 14 days of the election.

Amburgey could not be reached for comment on his reasons for proposing the measure.

Mayor Peter F. Buffa, who is running for election, said he doesn’t know the reason behind the proposal.

The measure was modeled after a Newport Beach ordinance approved in August, according to a letter from City Atty. Thomas Kathe.

The city of Stanton has also recently adopted a last-minute campaign documents ordinance in time for the Nov. 6 election.

But officials have raised questions about whether such an ordinance violates the First Amendment guarantee of free speech.

In Stanton, Councilman Sal Sapien voted against the measure even though officials said they would not censor materials before allowing candidates to distribute them.

Supporters of the measure have said that it is meant to discourage candidates and campaign workers from launching untrue personal attacks on opponents. It also ensures that the candidate criticized in the literature has time to respond to allegations.

The City Council will consider the measure during its regularly scheduled meeting at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 77 Fair Drive.