Sacramento Municipal Code Art. V Public Funds

There is hereby established in the annual city budget a Campaign Reform Budget Unit to be administered by the city clerk pursuant to the provisions of this article. (Ord. 2003-046 § 1)

A. During the preparation of the budget for any fiscal year which contains either a general election period or a primary election period, the city manager shall estimate the amounts necessary to provide the public funding established by this article, and to make all other payments and meet all other expenses authorized by the provisions of this article. Thereafter, the city council shall include in its final budget for the fiscal year the amount, if any, that it determines to be appropriate for the Campaign Reform Budget Unit. In the event that the amounts estimated by the city manager to be necessary to provide the public funding established by this article and to make all other payments and meet all other expenses authorized by the provisions of this article are inadequate, the city clerk shall advise the city council of the shortage, and the city council shall thereafter transfer such additional funds, if any, that it determines to be appropriate, from the General Fund Administrative Contingencies Unit to the Campaign Reform Budget Unit.

B. If a special election or special runoff election is held for a city office and there are not sufficient funds in the Campaign Reform Budget Unit to provide in full the public funding established by this article and to make the other payments authorized by this article, the city clerk shall advise the city council of the shortage, and the city council shall thereafter transfer such additional funds, if any, that it determines to be appropriate, from the General Fund Administrative Contingencies Unit to the Campaign Reform Budget Unit. (Ord. 2003-046 § 1)

All administrative expenses incurred by the city clerk and the Department of Finance in connection with the administration of this article, including, but not limited to, salaries, benefits, supplies and overhead, shall be charged to, and paid from, the Campaign Reform Budget Unit. (Ord. 2003-046 § 1)

A. During an election year, the city clerk shall advise the city council and each candidate on the fifth of each month following a month in which payments were made from the Campaign Reform Fund of the following:

• 1. The candidates who received funds from the Campaign Reform Fund;
• 2. The amount received by each candidate from the Campaign Reform Fund; or
• 3. The cumulative amounts received by each candidate from the Campaign Reform Fund.

B. Within four months following each election in which funds are provided from the Campaign Reform Fund, the city clerk shall submit a final report to the city council reporting the amount of funds paid to each candidate from the Campaign Reform Fund. In the event a race involves both a primary and general election, the report required by this section shall be submitted within four months of the general election and shall cover both the primary and general elections. (Ord. 2003-046 § 1)

All surplus funds remaining after all obligations are met by a candidate shall be returned to the Campaign Reform Fund, not to exceed the amount paid to the candidate from the Campaign Reform Fund, as follows:

A. In the case of a primary or special election where one candidate does not receive a majority of the votes cast, all candidates, except those two candidates who will appear on the ballot in a general or runoff election, must return surplus funds within ninety (90) days after the primary or special election.

B. In the case of a primary or special election where one candidate does receive a majority of the votes cast, and in general and special runoff elections, all candidates must return surplus funds within ninety (90) days after the election. (Ord. 2003-046 § 1)

A. At the close of the period for filing nomination papers for city elective office, the director of the Department of Finance, in consultation with the city clerk and any other city officers, employees or agents as required, shall determine:

1. The total amount of money in the Campaign Reform Fund as of that date; and

2. The amount estimated as necessary to provide participating candidates with matching public funds. For purposes of estimating the amount of public funds required, the director of the Department of Finance shall presume that each participating candidate will request, and will be entitled to, the maximum amount of matching public funds made available during the primary and general election periods pursuant to Section 2.14.140.

B. If the director of the Department of Finance determines the monies in the Campaign Reform Fund are insufficient to satisfy the estimated needs of the eligible candidates, and if additional funds adequate to meet the estimated needs of participating candidates are not thereafter transferred into the Campaign Reform Fund, the director of the Department of Finance shall allocate and thereafter disburse the matching public funds on a pro rata basis.

1. Allocation Between Mayoral and Councilmember Races. If it is determined that the amounts in the Campaign Reform Fund are insufficient to meet the estimated needs of participating candidates, the director of the Department of Finance shall allocate forty (40) percent of the Campaign Reform Fund for the mayoral race and sixty (60) percent of the Campaign Reform Fund for the city councilmember races, except as provided below.

a. Exception. To the extent an amount allocated pursuant to the foregoing procedure exceeds the estimated needs of the remaining participating candidates in the mayoral or city councilmember races, the surplus shall be allocated to the other race(s).

2. Reallocation After Primary Election Period. Following the primary elections for the mayor and/or city councilmember races, the director of the Department of Finance shall determine whether the aggregate amounts remaining in the Campaign Reform Fund are sufficient to provide the remaining participating candidates with matching funds in the general election. If it is determined that the amounts are insufficient to meet the estimated needs of the remaining participating candidates, the director of the Department of Finance shall again allocate forty (40) percent of the Campaign Reform Fund for the mayoral race and sixty (60) percent of the Campaign Reform Fund for the city councilmember races, except as provided below.

a. Exception. To the extent an amount allocated pursuant to the foregoing procedure exceeds the estimated needs of the remaining participating candidates in the mayoral and/or city councilmember races, the surplus shall be allocated to the other race(s).

C. Reassessment After Primary Election Period. Following the primary elections for the mayor and/or city councilmember races, the director of the Department of Finance shall determine whether the aggregate amounts remaining in the Campaign Reform Fund are sufficient to provide the remaining participating candidates with matching funds in the general election. If it is determined that the amounts are insufficient to meet the estimated needs of the remaining participating candidates, the director of the Department of Finance shall again allocate and thereafter disburse the matching public funds on a pro rata basis.

D. Disbursement of Public Funds. The director of the Department of Finance shall disburse monies from the Campaign Reform Fund, as allocated above, to qualifying candidates for the mayoral or city councilmember races pursuant to the following procedures:

1. Primary and Special Elections. The director of the Department of Finance shall disburse matching public funds to participating candidates for the mayoral or city councilmember races on a first come-first served basis, provided that the total amount disbursed to participating candidates in the mayoral or city councilmember races shall not exceed one-half of the amounts allocated to those races pursuant to subsection (B)(1) above. Disbursements to participating mayoral candidates shall be made only from the funds allocated to the mayoral race pursuant to subsection (B)(1) above, and disbursements to participating city councilmember candidates shall be made only from the funds allocated to the city councilmember races pursuant to subsection (B)(1) above.

2. General Elections. The director of the Department of Finance shall disburse matching public funds to participating candidates for the mayoral or city councilmember races on a first come-first served basis, provided that the total amount disbursed to participating candidates in the mayoral or city councilmember races shall not exceed the amounts allocated to those races pursuant to subsection (B)(2) above. Disbursements to participating mayoral candidates shall be made only from the funds allocated to the mayoral race pursuant to subsection (B)(2) above, and disbursements to participating city councilmember candidates shall be made only from the funds allocated to the city councilmember races pursuant to subsection (B)(2) above.

E. Commencing one week after the last date for filing declarations of candidacy, and continuing until the date of the ensuing general election, the director of the department of finance, in consultation with the city clerk and any other city officers, employees, or agents as required, shall issue bi-weekly reports on the financial status of the Campaign Reform Fund. Such report shall include an accounting of how much money remains available in the fund for distribution to qualifying candidates, how many candidates have declared their intention to accept financing and have qualified for financing from the fund, the comparable data regarding eligible candidates and available funds at similar stages in prior elections, if any, and any other information that will assist candidates in estimating whether sufficient funds are likely to be available in the Campaign Reform Fund to satisfy the full entitlement of qualifying candidates. (Ord. 2003-046 § 1)