ORDINANCE NO. 3243-22
AMENDING TITLE 2, CHAPTER 2
CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS
PAGE 1
ORDINANCE NO. 3243-22
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF REDONDO BEACH, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING TITLE
2, CHAPTER 2, SECTIONS 2-2.303, 2-2.304, 2-2.306 AND
2-2.309 OF THE REDONDO BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE
REGARDING CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION LIMITS FOR
ELECTIONS
WHEREAS, the problem of campaign expenditures has become a serious reality of American politics and campaigns in the City of Redondo Beach are not excepted; and WHEREAS, incidental to the high cost of election campaigning is the problem of improper influence, real or potential, exercised by campaign contributors over elected officials; and
WHEREAS, it is important to place reasonable and enforceable limits on the amounts that persons may contribute to political campaigns in municipal elections for the prevention of corruption and the appearance of corruption spawned by the real or imagined coercive influence of large financial contributions on candidates' positions and on their actions if elected to office; and
WHEREAS, on April 5, 2022, the City Council voted 4-1 to amend Sections 2-
2.303, 2-2.304, 2-2.306 and 2-2.309 of the Campaign Contribution Ordinance; and WHEREAS, those changes are reflected in this ordinance.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF REDONDO BEACH, CALIFORNIA, DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. AMENDMENT OF CODE. Title 2, Chapter 2, Section 2-2.303 of the Redondo Beach Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
“2-2.303 Campaign contribution limits: Candidates for City Council For general municipal and runoff elections, no person shall make to any candidate for City Council or the controlled committee of such a candidate, and no such candidate or the candidate's controlled committee shall accept from any such person, a contribution or contributions totaling more than One Thousand Two Hundred dollars ($1200.00) for the general municipal election and One Thousand Two Hundred dollars ($1200.00) for the runoff election. The One Thousand Two Hundred dollar ($1200.00) limit specified above shall be adjusted in June of every odd numbered year commencing in 2023 for changes in the consumer price index for the Los Angeles Area, CPI-U rounded upwards or downwards to the nearest $50.00. Nothing herein shall be construed to restrict a candidate from contributing his or her own funds or assets to his or her campaign.”
SECTION 2. AMENDMENT OF CODE. Title 2, Chapter 2, Section 2-2.304 of the Redondo Beach Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
ORDINANCE NO. 3243-22
AMENDING TITLE 2, CHAPTER 2
CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS
PAGE 2
“2-2.304 Campaign contribution limits: Candidates for City Clerk, City Attorney, City Treasurer, School Board Member and Mayor
For general municipal and runoff elections, no person shall make to any candidate for any of the offices of City Clerk, City Attorney, City Treasurer, School Board Member or Mayor or the controlled committee of such a candidate, and no such candidate or the candidate's controlled committee shall accept from any such person, a contribution or contributions totaling more than Two Thousand, Seven Hundred dollars ($2,700.00) for the general municipal election and Two Thousand, Seven Hundred dollars ($2,700.00) for the runoff election. The Two Thousand, Seven Hundred dollar ($2,700.00) limit specified above shall be adjusted in June of every odd numbered year commencing in 2023 for changes in the consumer price index for the Los Angeles Area, CPI-U rounded upwards or downwards to the nearest $50.00. Nothing herein shall be construed to restrict a candidate from contributing his or her own funds or assets to his or her campaign.”
SECTION 3. AMENDMENT OF CODE. Title 2, Chapter 2, Section 2-2.306 of the Redondo Beach Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
“2-2.306 Prohibition on nonelection cycle contributions No candidate or the controlled committee of such a person shall accept any contribution except during the election cycle in which the candidate or officeholder intends to run for or be a write-in candidate for the office for which the contribution is made. Election cycle means that period commencing with January 1 of the even numbered year immediately preceding the general municipal election for that office, and ending three (3) months after the general municipal election. For a special election, the election cycle commences with the declaration of a vacancy in an elective office and ends three (3) months after the special election date.” SECTION 4. AMENDMENT OF CODE. Title 2, Chapter 2, Section 2-2.309 of the Redondo Beach Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
“2-2.309 Violations
Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Each separate offense shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding Two Thousand and no/100ths ($2,000.00) Dollars or imprisonment not exceeding six (6) months, or both.”
SECTION 5. INCONSISTENT PROVISIONS. Any provisions of the Redondo Beach Municipal Code, or appendices thereto, or any other ordinances of the City inconsistent herewith, to the extent of such inconsistencies and no further, are hereby repealed.
SECTION 6. SEVERANCE. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by the decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of the ordinance. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed this ordinance and each section, subsection, sentence, clause, and phrase thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses, or phrases be declared invalid or unconstitutional.
ORDINANCE NO. 3243-22
AMENDING TITLE 2, CHAPTER 2
CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS
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SECTION 7. PUBLICATION AND EFFECTIVE DATE. This ordinance shall be published by one insertion in The Easy Reader, the official newspaper of said city, and same shall go into effect and be in full force and operation from and after thirty (30) days after its final passage and adoption.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 20th day of September, 2022. ________________________
Mayor William C. Brand
APPROVED AS TO FORM: ATTEST:
_____________________________ _____________________________ Michael W. Webb, City Attorney Eleanor Manzano, CMC, City Clerk ORDINANCE NO. 3243-22
AMENDING TITLE 2, CHAPTER 2
CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS
PAGE 4
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss
CITY OF REDONDO BEACH )
I, Eleanor Manzano, City Clerk of Redondo Beach, California, do hereby certify that the foregoing Ordinance No. 3243-22 was duly introduced at a regular meeting of the City Council held on the 6th day of September, 2022, and was duly approved and adopted at a regular meeting of said City Council held on the 20th day of September, 2022, by the following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
_______________________
Eleanor Manzano, CMC
City Clerk