From:Michael Harrington
To:Kristie Ramos, CMC
Subject:3-19-2026 agenda item 6b Campaign Contribution Limit Date:Wednesday, March 18, 2026 6:27:00 AM
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I’d like to speak in opposition to the proposed
$7,500 campaign contribution limit. This is
higher than the State limit.
At the last meeting, the discussion framed
‘opting out’ of the state limit as if that meant
going higher. But opting out works both ways
—cities can set limits higher or lower than the
state default. Many California cities have
chosen to go lower specifically to reduce the
influence of large donors and strengthen public
trust.
Cities like Santa Monica, Seal Beach, and
Cypress have limits around $500, and others
like Irvine and Burbank are still far below
what’s being proposed here.
We’ve already seen locally how contributions
can concentrate. In the 2024 campaign filings,
just two donors each contributed the maximum
$5,000 to a single candidate—totaling $10,000
from only two individuals. Council can review
those public filings if they want the specific
names.
The point is not who gave—it’s how quickly
influence can concentrate among a very small
number of donors. If this limit is raised to
$7,500, that same scenario becomes $15,000
from just two people.
That’s exactly why many cities choose lower
limits—not higher ones. Lower limits
encourage broader participation and reduce the
risk—or even the appearance—of undue
influence.
I urge the council to consider opting out in the
other direction, and adopt a more reasonable
cap in the $500 to $1,000 range. Thank you.
Mike Harrington