Merit in Irvine’s Measure M

One part of Irvine’s commendable attempt to limit campaign contributions goes before the city’s voters in November. We favor the ordinance, Measure M, which is part of the city’s continuing effort to curtail attempts to circumvent contribution limits.

Irvine long has had a ceiling on individual contributions to a candidate. But as in many such ordinances, the loopholes were gaping. Last year, after more than a year of discussions involving city officials and several civic groups, those loopholes were closed. The City Council agreed that political action committees and other independent groups would be limited in how much they could give. No longer would there be the possibility of virtually unlimited expenditures by a group supposedly independent of a candidate.

An ordinance raising the individual limit to $300 from $190 was passed, but because it amends a law passed by voters the electorate needs to approve the amendment on the Nov. 5 ballot.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 20 years ago that limiting candidates’ expenditures of their own money was an unconstitutional infringement of free speech. But limiting what others can contribute has been ruled legal in most cases. Irvine’s limit of $300 for a four-year City Council term is not too high, given the unfortunately growing cost of election campaigns. The ordinance also allows for adjustments for inflation.

Orange County voters approved a similar, pioneering ordinance limiting contributions to elected county officials four years ago. Cities such as Laguna Beach, Anaheim, Orange and Huntington Beach have followed suit. The specific dollar amounts may vary, but the intent is the same, to lessen the disparity in opportunity between incumbents and challengers and to curb excessive spending.

One advantage of the county’s laws over Irvine’s is that the entire package was put before the voters, who would have to approve changes. In Irvine, a City Council can undo the limits on political action committee donations on its own. There are no indications that is likely to happen, but the way to guard against repeal is through citizen vigilance. Groups such as Common Cause, the League of Women Voters and backers of the county’s campaign spending ordinances have done a good job in keeping an eye on political contributions.