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THE CITY OF <br />CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT <br />PL~E~S~4NTONe <br />December 18, 2007 <br />City Manager's Office <br />TITLE: ELECTIONS AND CAMPAIGN FINANCE. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE <br />TO REQUIRE ELECTRONIC FILING OF CAMPAIGN STATEMENTS, <br />AND MAKE THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THE CITY'S <br />WEBSITE; INFORMATION REGARDING VOLUNTARY EXPENDITURE <br />LIMITS AND CONTRIBUTIONS LIMITS FOR INDIVIDUALS, <br />BUSINESSES AND COMMITTEES TO CANDIDATES OR THEIR <br />COMMITTEES <br />SUMMARY <br />This report provides the Council with a proposed ordinance to mandate electronic filing <br />of campaign statements, and related web-based availability of that information in 2008. <br />Information is also provided regarding voluntary campaign expenditure limits and <br />campaign contribution limits, for which the Council may provide staff with additional <br />direction. This matter is a Council priority, as indicated in the Council's 2007-2008 Work <br />Plan, and was previously discussed on October 16, 2007. <br />RECOMMENDATION <br />Introduce the attached ordinance to amend Chapter 1.20 of the Municipal Code to <br />require electronic filing of campaign statements. Discuss and provide staff direction <br />with regard to voluntary expenditure limits and/or contribution limits for individuals, <br />businesses and committees to a candidate or a candidate's committee for the office of a <br />council member or mayor during a designated election period. <br />FINANCIAL STATEMENT <br />It is expected to cost approximately $10,000 annually for software licenses to allow <br />electronic filing of campaign statements. Electronic filing would reduce staff time <br />needed to manually redact campaign statements. <br />BACKGROUND <br />"Campaign Finance Issues and Options for Change" are a Council priority and <br />information was presented for the Council's consideration on October 16, 2007. (A <br />copy of that report and the minutes from that meeting are attached for information.) <br />Based on that discussion, there was strong interest in making campaign statements <br />available on the City's website so that interested persons may see who has contributed <br />to each candidate or candidate's committee, how much was contributed, and how such <br />