IRVINE : Donation Limits Amendment OKd

The City Council has tentatively approved a change in a city campaign contribution ordinance that would set limits for donations by campaign cycle rather than by year.

The law would modify a campaign contribution limit adopted by voters as Measure F in 1987. That law sets a $150-a-year cap on individual donations to council or mayoral candidates and allows that limit to increase with inflation. The current limit, adjusted for inflation, is $180 a year.

The proposed change would retain the same donation limit, but would set the cap to coincide with terms of office rather than calendar years. Instead of donations of up to $180 each year from individuals, City Council candidates would only be able to collect up to $180 every four years. Since mayors serve for two years, candidates could collect $180 every two years from each donor.

The council asked its Election Reform Committee to recommend ways to change the donor limit after a federal appeals court ruled that Proposition 73--a statewide campaign limit adopted by California voters in 1988--was unconstitutional because it restricted donations on an annual basis.

The court said in February that since challengers often begin raising money only as the election nears, an annual donation cap allowed them to raise less money than an incumbent, who could accept the maximum donation every year in office while preparing for reelection.

The change is meant to create a “level playing field” for incumbents and challengers, Councilman Barry J. Hammond said.

Under the city’s current campaign contribution ordinance, a City Council member could collect up to $720 per donor--$180 each calendar year--while preparing for reelection. A challenger, who would probably begin collecting donations the year of the race, could accept only $180 from each donor.

The City Council unanimously approved the proposed law Tuesday. A second approval will be needed before the new campaign law takes effect.