Council Passes Strict Campaign Fund Rules

The City Council has approved an urgency ordinance that establishes guidelines on campaign fund-raising and expenditures that are stricter than what is required by a new state law.

“We want full disclosure of contributions . . . so that the public can see the contributions coming in,” said Councilman Dan Kuperberg, one of two council members to write the ordinance that was approved Wednesday night.

The new campaign regulations require that no cash contributions be accepted; that candidates report donations larger than $5 from one source, down from $50; and that no candidate may receive funds within seven days of the election.

Additionally, candidates cannot accept more than $100 from one contributor, nor can anyone contribute more than $100 to one candidate. Candidates may accept donations of as much as $250 if they agree to a voluntary expenditure ceiling of 50 cents per resident. In Agoura Hills, with a population of about 20,000, that limit would amount to about $10,000.

The city made the changes to comply with Proposition 208, a 1996 state campaign-reform measure. Many cities are currently grappling with updating their codes to meet the new guidelines, but Agoura Hills said it wanted to go further than the new law mandates.

“This tightens up loose ends that 208 has forced us to do,” Kuperberg said. “If you polled the voters and asked them if they want more disclosure or less, they’ll take more. If you asked them if they want more regulations or less, they’ll say more.

“It’s simple, very basic: Let everybody know what you’re doing,” he added.

The ordinance takes effect May 4. The filing period for the city’s November election is July 14, said City Clerk Pat Manning.