Paparian Wants Incentive Plan to Cut Campaign Costs

Saying extravagant campaigns are undermining the electoral process, City Councilman William Paparian proposed a campaign reform measure Tuesday offering candidates a choice between a voluntary cap on total spending or limits on individual contributions.

“Some in our community perceive that City Hall decisions are improperly influenced by monetary contributions,” Paparian said.

He wants to impose a system of incentives to encourage council candidates to abide by a spending ceiling of $30,000, as well as some strict limits on off-year contributions and participation by city contractors.

Growing campaign costs have “begun to deter promising candidates who simply do not have the financial means to run expensive campaigns,” Paparian said. The record for spending in a single Pasadena council campaign is $84,000, set eight years ago by real estate broker Margaret Sedenquist in an unsuccessful race against Jess Hughston. Recent campaigns have approached that amount.

Other council members expressed doubts about the measure, but they agreed to bring it back to the council in three weeks.

Under Paparian’s system, candidates who agree to the $30,000 ceiling would be allowed to accept contributions of up to $250 from individuals and $1,000 from organizations. For others, there would be limits on contributions of $100 from individuals and $500 from organizations.

The measure would also:

Limit to $5,000 the amount any candidate can raise prior to six months before the election, reducing some incumbents’ penchant for accumulating large war chests.

Make $10,000 the maximum candidates could lend their own campaigns, reducing the advantages of wealthy candidates over those of more modest means.

Place restrictions on contributions from those doing business with the city, prohibiting contributions from those with city contracts of $25,000 or more.

Mayor Rick Cole agreed that Pasadena campaigns have become increasingly burdensome and that there is a need for restrictions. “Right now, somebody could give $1 million to someone sitting on this council the day before a vote in which (the contributor) had a $1-million stake,” he said.

But Cole doubted that most voters perceive City Hall as corrupt. Sacramento and Washington have become “cesspools of corruption,” he said, “but I don’t believe that’s true here in Pasadena.”

“It’s a solution in search of a problem,” Councilman Isaac Richard added. “The people who come in with a bunch of money are traditionally the losers here.”

Councilman Chris Holden said the proposed limitations on contributions would fall more heavily on candidates in low-income districts, where campaign money is harder to come by. He also challenged traditional notions about political campaigns, such as the purported advantages of incumbents.

“In some cases, the incumbents come in a distant second (in terms of raising money),” Holden said. “There needs to be a way of leveling the playing field for some of us incumbents.”