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Vice -Mayor Thorne said he assumed the hope is that this would one day be much more widespread throughout the State. Mr. Lowell said he understands this to be a trial program that could potentially serve as a model for other campaign spending regulations. Vice -Mayor Thorne questioned whether $6 million was truly expected to finance all state elections, and Mr. Lowell could not say. Councilmember Sullivan asked if this would remove the prohibition on public financing of municipal elections, as well. Mr. Lowell said it would with regard to this particular office, but it was not his understanding it would affect any offices beyond that. Joe Ely said this would in fact overturn the prohibition on public campaign financing for all offices so that it may be expanded to other offices in the future without requiring another ballot measure. He implored the Council to pass the resolution so that the State, and one day this City, may take the first step in getting candidates and elected officials out of the fundraising game. He said he has repeatedly heard from elected officials that this is the least favorable aspect of their job and they would prefer to spend time on what the voters put them in office to do. He said this would open the political process so that not only the wealthiest candidates win and would eliminate the very damaging appearance of conflicts of interest that is inherent in the private campaign finance system currently in place. He said the proposition would also allow non Charter General Law cities like Pleasanton to pass their own public campaign financing laws, and urged the Council to pass the resolution. Kay Ayala concurred with Mr. Ely's comments and acknowledged this is a small step but said it is one worth taking if it allows the City to pass its own campaign finance laws. Mayor Hosterman closed the hearing to public comments. Councilmember Sullivan thanked Mr. Ely for his comments and continued support of the issue. He doubted anyone would disagree that campaign funding has a stranglehold on democracy at a state, federal and local level and this will not solve the problem, it is a step in the right direction towards preserving representative government. He fully supports the resolution and hopes the measure passes in June. MOTION: It was m/s by Sullivan /McGovern to adopt the resolution in support of Proposition 15, the California Fair Elections Act, as presented. Councilmember McGovern said she appreciates that this provides a model for the future and for these two elections, in particular. With the current economy, many individuals do not have the means to contribute funds and this provides lobbyists with the opportunity to finance an election for a change. She said it is certainly worth an attempt, particularly if it allows Pleasanton to establish its own campaign revisions. Councilmember Cook- Kallio said she is very interested in this as a pilot program and finds the idea of lobbyist funding to be extraordinarily interesting, as well. In order for any sort of fair public election financing to occur, it will certainly take more than a pilot program in this State and that the Federal Supreme Court ruling that speech is money will remain in effect no matter what. She said this is an opportunity to see whether such a program can work and whether or not $6 million is enough to support an electoral candidate in this State. City Council Minutes Page 9 of 22 April 6, 2010