Article IV — Voluntary Expenditure Limits

• (a) Each candidate for City office shall file a "Declaration of Candidacy Statement" ("Declaration") which shall be in a form to be determined by the City Clerk before that candidate accepts any campaign contributions. At the time of filing his/her declaration, the candidate shall indicate on the Declaration his/her acceptance or rejection of the voluntary expenditure limit of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00 – the base was established in February, 2000), which, beginning in 2014, shall be adjusted on an annual basis solely by a percentage equal to the San Francisco Bay Area All Urban Consumer Price Index (CPI). The adjustment to the voluntary expenditure limit shall be by City Council resolution adopted at least six months prior to each election. The adjustment shall be rounded off to the nearest hundred dollar ($100.00) figure [downward (if forty-nine dollars ninety-nine cents ($49.99) or less) or upward (if fifty dollars ($50.00) or more)].

• (b) For candidates accepting the voluntary expenditure limits, the following advantages apply:

  • (1) The candidate may accept a contribution of up to five hundred dollars ($500.00, as adjusted from time to time) from each contributor.

  • (2) The City shall pay for one-half the cost of the candidate's statement of qualifications printed in the ballot pamphlet.

  • (3) The sample ballot shall contain a designation that the candidate was a participant in the voluntary expenditure limit program.

  • (4) The candidate's name shall be listed in a newspaper of general circulation indicating they have been a participant in the voluntary expenditure limit program.

  • (5) The candidate's participation in the voluntary expenditure limit program shall be disseminated for public information on the City's website, government access cable television channel, public libraries, public offices, etc.

• (c) A candidate who agrees to accept the voluntary expenditure limit in this article may not change that decision, except where an opposing candidate files a statement of rejection of the voluntary expenditure limit, the candidate may rescind his/her acceptance of the voluntary expenditure limit within seventy-two (72) hours of the final date that nomination papers can be filed; provided, that the candidate will be limited from the date of his/her rescission to a maximum contribution limit of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00, as adjusted from time to time) per source.

• (d) A candidate who agrees to accept the voluntary expenditure limit in this article shall not exceed the expenditure limit of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00), as adjusted from time to time. The candidate shall immediately notify all opponents and the City Clerk by telephone and by confirmation in writing the day the expenditure limit is exceeded.

• (e) The following shall not count toward the voluntary expenditure limit: (1) the cost of the candidate statement, whether paid by the candidate or the City; (2) contributions returned by the candidate in accordance with SCCC § 2.130.070(b) ; and (3) filing fees required by State or local law.

• (Ord. 1745 § 2, 1-11-2000; Ord. 1768 § 2, 5-7-2002; Ord. 1788 § 4, 2004; Ord. 1835 §§ 3, 4, 4-152008; Ord. 1924 § 1, 4-22-2014; Ord. 1954 § 1, 5-17-2016)

If a candidate violates the campaign expenditure limit of this article, the expenditure limit shall no longer be applicable to the other candidates running for the same office. (Ord. 1745 § 2, 1-11-2000; Ord. 1924 § 1, 4-22-2014; Formerly 2.130.180)