IRVINE : Council to Discuss Campaign Gift Limit

The City Council is scheduled to discuss today whether to change the $180-a-year limit on individual campaign contributions to City Council candidates.

A recent court ruling that threw out a statewide campaign contribution limit as unconstitutional places the cap adopted by Irvine voters in 1987 on shaky ground, according to a report by City Atty. John L. Fellows III.

The February ruling by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down California’s Proposition 73, which voters passed in 1988 to set annual limits on the amount that individuals could donate to candidates for state office.

The justices found that Proposition 73 discriminated in favor of political incumbents who are better able to raise campaign funds than their challengers.

In light of the February decision on Prop. 73, “it appears there could be a serious challenge to the validity of Irvine’s campaign contribution ordinance,” Fellows wrote in a memo to City Manager Paul O. Brady Jr.

Brady said he will discuss the legal questions raised by the appeals court at tonight’s meeting.

He added that changing the 1987 law could be further complicated by the fact that it was enacted through a voter initiative.

The law initially set a $150 limit on individual contributions per council candidate during a single calendar year.

That limit has since risen to $180 based upon increases each year for inflation.

Fellows began researching the issue after Councilman William A. (Art) Bloomer asked whether the appeals court decision would affect Irvine’s law, Brady said.