Campaign Fund Limit

At the Dec. 5 Ventura City Council meeting, an agenda item dealt with an ordinance proposed by Councilman Steve Bennett that would have restricted campaign contributions to council candidates to a maximum of $100. Steve Bennett had won office under a self-imposed limit of that amount.

In an attempt to refute the arguments for contribution limits, Mayor Tom Buford projected a wall-sized display of his approximate expenses in the last election. The total amount came to about $23,000. His argument was that he could not have accumulated that much money without being able to accept large donations. Councilman Jim Monahan complained that Patagonia had influenced an election in the past with large contributions to his ideological opponents. Both of these points were excellent recommendations for campaign finance reform.

Council members Greg Carson and Rosa Lee Measures each stated that large contributions to their campaigns had not (influenced) and never will influence their decisions. U.S. Rep. Barney Frank had an insight into this relationship when he said, “Who wants to be an ungrateful S.O.B?”

The recent bankruptcy of Orange County funds hints at the cozy relationship between Wall Street firms and elected politicos who received large campaign donations and gifts that may have influenced investment decisions. We, the public, will never know. Wouldn’t it serve everyone’s interest better if that speculation would never have to be raised?

P.S. Only Councilmen Bennett and Gary Tuttle supported the reform measure.

BRAD SMITH

Oxnard