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funds were spent. The City Clerk's Office had already been in discussion with vendors regarding software which would allow candidates and committees to file campaign statements electronically. Such electronic filing would enable City staff to quickly post properly redacted campaign statements on the City's website with search functions enabled. This is expected to take place in early 2008. This policy of making public campaign contribution information was also reflected in all Council members in support of maintaining the contribution reporting threshold at $25. Council expressed interest in receiving additional information about a voluntary expenditure pledge, with the interest in decreasing a candidate's focus on fundraising, and instead emphasizing candidates going out in person to meet people, rather than relying on mass media. Council asked staff to return with a proposed methodology to set the voluntary expenditure limit. Council also requested that staff return with information about limits on contributions by individuals, businesses and committees to candidates and candidates' committees. DISCUSSION Electronic Filin4 and Web-based Disclosure. To provide the public with the broadest access to information about candidate fundraising, contributors, and expenditures, it is recommended that candidates and candidates' committees be required to electronically file campaign statements with the City Clerk's Office. The proposed ordinance would amend Section 1.20.030 of the Municipal Code to require both electronic filing of verified campaign statements, and the filing of one signed original with the City Clerk's Office. As staff finalizes selection of a software vendor for such electronic filing, it is expected that candidates and committee treasurers will find that electronic filing is more efficient, as data fields will remain available for new statements, sums will be added accurately, and electronic filing will be done using a secure password protected system. The benefit to the public arising from electronic filing will take place when electronically filed campaign statements are made available on the City's website, where search functions will be enabled. In coordination with the selected software vendor, staff will ensure that electronically filed campaign statements are automatically redacted, as required by law, before being made available for public review on the City's website. For example, under the Elections Code, the home addresses of contributors must be redacted when a campaign statement is made available on-line. By having this type of automatic redaction function in place, campaign statements will be publicly available shortly after electronic filing. In contrast, with campaign statements currently filed on regular paper, if there was an interest in posting the paper statements on the City's website, staff would have to redact by hand certain information, convert the redacted statement into an image file, then load the image files onto the City's website. Once on the website, illegible writing in an image file could make search functions limited. Page 2 of 6