The Seal Beach City Council on Monday, March 8 approved on first reading an ordinance limiting campaign contributions to $500 per person.
The new ordinance, which is scheduled to return to the council for a second reading on March 22, also limits candidates to one campaign committee per person.
This was not the first time the subject of campaign finance came up in a council meeting. The council last discussed campaign finance at the agency’s Feb. 22 meeting. According to a Feb. 22 staff report by both the city attorney and the city clerk, cities can legally limit the amount of money an individual contributes to a campaign.
At the Feb. 22 meeting, District 1 Councilman Charles Antos proposed an ordinance with a $250 per person contribution limit.
District 3 Councilman Gordon Shanks said he preferred a $500 limit. Antos withdrew his motion.
District 5 Councilman Michael Levitt asked if Seal Beach could place a limit on where the money came from.
City Attorney Quinn Barrow said the courts would not support restrictions on where the money came from.
The Feb. 22 staff report pointed out that while a Jan. 21 U.S. Supreme Court ruling on campaign finance did not affect California law, it indicated that the courts might not care for restrictions on campaign contributions as a form of free speech.
At the Monday, March 8 meeting, Chamber of Commerce President Seth Eaker said he cautioned the council about placing limits on voters.
In other business:
• The council authorized Mayor David Sloan to sign a letter supporting more money for the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base runway. The letter, addressed to Congressman Ed Royce, asks for Royce’s assistance in obtaining $17 million to repair the runway. “As you know, we believe strongly that the 8,000-foot runway at the JFTB is a critical component of the long-term strategic viability of the base,” the letter said.
• The council directed staff to request proposals for evaluating the conditions of city-owned buildings and facilities. According to a staff report by Interim Director of Public Works Terry Belanger, the last Seal Beach building/facility assessment was performed in May 2004 by TEC Engineering. The company looked at 36 city facilities. According to the Belanger report, there will be a meeting with prospective consultants on March 23. Proposals will be submitted by April 20, representatives of the best qualified firms will be interviewed on April 28 and the assessment contract will be awarded on May 10. The financial impact on Seal Beach will be known when the contract is awarded.
• The council approved on first reading a change to the Municipal Code that will allow the Planning Commission to change its meeting schedule. Under the current code, the Planning Commission meets on the first and third Wednesday after the first Monday of each month.
“The commission is seeking a modification in meeting dates so that meetings are held on the first and third Wednesday regardless of what day of the week the month starts,” said the staff report by Director of Development Services Mark Persico. “Under the current code, Planning Commission meetings can occur on the first and third Wednesday or the second and fourth Wednesday depending upon when the month starts. This inconsistency leads to confusion on the part of the public.”
The ordinance is expected to come back for a second and final reading at the Monday, March 22 council meeting.
• The council approved a request from the Lifeguard Department to buy two jet skis. The Lifeguard Department had been using jet skis through a program in participation with a local Honda dealership. According to Belanger, this program is no longer available. However, the Honda dealer offered to sell the jet skis to Seal Beach for a total of $7,395.12. To accomplish the purchase, the council amended the Fiscal Year 2009-10 budget, increasing the allocation for the Public Works Vehicle Replacement Fund from $316,000 to $324,000.
