If you know anyone in Los Angeles, please spread the word: Measure H on the March 8th L.A. City ballot changes the way we finance election campaigns so politicians focus on addressing L.A.’s serious challenges instead of spending time fundraising for their next campaign.
The California Clean Money Campaign, California Common Cause, and League of Women Voters of LA worked together to ask authors City Council President Eric Garcetti and Councilmember Jose Huizar to have City Council put it on the ballot.
Measure H Reins in Pay-To-Play Politics by Big City Contractors
* Prohibits campaign contributions and fundraising by bidders on most City contracts that are worth at least $100,000 and subject to elected official approval.
* Increases disclosure requirements for bidders for City Contracts.
* Punish violators by banning them from winning city contracts for up to four years.
Measure H Gets Politicians Out of the Fundraising Game
Measure H strengthens the City’s voter-approved Campaign Finance Trust Fund by lifting the maximum balance in the fund (currently ~$12 million) to give candidates greater incentive to agree to the city’s voluntary campaign spending limits.
* Candidates who use the City’s current public matching funds system have strict qualifying rules, reporting requirements, and prohibitions on campaign spending. But available funds aren’t used because the system hasn’t been updated since 1990 and the maximum amount allowed in the Campaign Trust Fund is too low.
* Allows Ethics Commission and other proposed strengthening of the matching funds system. With Measure H, the city could gradually move to full Fair Elections public funding of campaigns so elected officials are only accountable to voters, not special interests.
* Protects the City Budget. Measure H doesn’t increase the annual appropriations approved by the voters in 1990, and allows for borrowing from the fund and for temporary suspension of appropriations in certain emergency conditions.
