Campaign Finance Law Repeal to Go on Ballot

Using admittedly questionable cost estimates to bolster their arguments, opponents of Long Beach’s campaign reform law have begun efforts to repeal the 4-year-old ordinance and deny taxpayer funds to political candidates.

“It’s a law. It’s not one of the Ten Commandments,” City Councilman Jeff Kellogg said in leading a 6-3 vote Tuesday night to put the repeal measure, Proposition R, on the June 2 ballot.

The action came over strong opposition from Common Cause, the League of Women Voters and other citizens groups whose members argue that the repeal campaign will hurt political outsiders and protect the entrenched powers in City Hall.

Long Beach’s campaign reform law passed in 1994 with 57% of the vote and put Long Beach in the vanguard of cities struggling to level the political playing field and control the cost of campaigns.

The Long Beach ordinance, which provides for matching funds if candidates agree to limit campaign expenditures, was modeled after Los Angeles’ campaign reform law.

Los Angeles set up an $8-million fund for candidates to draw from, but Long Beach never earmarked a steady revenue stream to provide money for candidates.

That means candidates seeking matching funds in Long Beach tap into the city’s general fund--the same money used to fill potholes, pay police and firefighters’ salaries, and maintain the municipal band.

Although only one candidate has received matching funds--a check for $3,375--the city manager’s office shook up City Hall by estimating that if all 35 candidates running in the April 14 primary election pushed the law to its limit, the city could spend $750,000 in the primary and $250,000 in the June runoff election.

Even though virtually everyone in City Hall agreed that such a scenario is unlikely, the estimates gave opponents the ammunition they needed to demand repeal of the law.

Critics contend that voters did not know in 1994 that they could be putting police and other services in competition with political candidates for tax dollars. Just to make sure voters get the point this time, Proposition R was titled as a measure to repeal “taxpayer funded political campaigns.”

“We have a winner because that’s as far as most voters read,” said City Councilman Les Robbins. “You can never find anyone who wants to pay for this when the time comes.”

Supporters of the political reform measure are crying foul, contending that the City Council is ignoring the vote four years ago and is acting on cost estimates that may never come true.

“The arguments that the ordinance will gut the city budget are not reasonable or factually supported,” said attorney Carol S. Churchill, co-president of the Long Beach chapter of the League of Women Voters.

“The City Council clearly is ignoring the will of the people,” said Joanne O’Byrne, a member of Long Beach Area Citizens Involved. “It’s a travesty.”

Isaac Elnecave, who works for Common Cause, said the group will fight the repeal measure. “We have 400 members in Long Beach and we hope to mobilize them all,” he said.

Meanwhile, the City Council candidate who drew the $3,375 in matching funds, Benjamin A. Goldberg, has come under intense criticism, and other candidates are saying that they are reluctant to ask for money, afraid they will be accused of undermining the city budget.

“You’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t,” said Diane Mann, one of Goldberg’s opponents.