A host of elected officials and candidates pleaded against
establishing local campaign finance laws at the Board of
Supervisors meeting Tuesday.
A host of elected officials and candidates pleaded against establishing local campaign finance laws at the Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday.
And while the meeting was meant only for discussion – and no new laws could be adopted – supervisors vowed they wouldn’t approve new restrictions in the near future, and likely not before the November election, either.
For the purpose of discussion, the county provided the City of Santa Clara’s campaign finance ordinance. It included a maximum of $500 from any one donor and a total fundraising cap of $25,000.
While there was no specific proposal on the table – the meeting was a study session to discuss a potential ordinance – the discussion drew everyone from the district attorney to the elected county assessor. Supervisors Pat Loe and Bob Cruz requested the meeting.
With the exception of District Attorney John Sarsfield, no speakers explicitly supported local campaign finance restrictions, and most of them spoke adamantly against the idea. County schools Superintendent Tim Foley, though, commended the board for raising the issue.
Some of the speakers pointed out that state laws already regulate campaigns. Others said San Benito historically hasn’t had problems with campaign financing – and that change isn’t necessary.
Currently, candidates must report all donations of $100 or more. And they have to follow strict guidelines when filling out financial forms throughout their campaigns.
“Why do we need something like this? It’s never been an issue,” said Arnold Fontes, the elected county assessor.
Supervisor Reb Monaco expressed the same concern.
“Bigger bureaucracy concerns me, especially if we haven’t identified a problem,” Monaco said.
The slate of speakers also included District 2 supervisor candidates Anthony Botelho and Anthony Freitas; Supervisor-elect Don Marcus; and Sally Bettencourt, who heads the Republican Central Committee.
Supervisors, especially Loe, continually reiterated the board has no immediate plans for an ordinance. Supervisors merely wanted to get feedback, especially from the people such laws would most affect, she said.
Sarsfield called the Santa Clara ordinance “a good starting point.” Sarsfield, also an elected official, said he wouldn’t have a problem if the county required candidates to disclose names of all donors – even of those people giving less than $100.
Others at the meeting, however, believe that would create headaches for campaign treasurers. Freitas took it a step further.
“If you do that you’re going to have a hard time finding a treasurer,” he said.
Freitas’ opponent in the District 2 election, Botelho, agreed.
Botelho also believes further restrictions would add more work to the Elections Office, which has its plate full after a controversy-filled March election.
“We’re adding a complexity to the election process and asking a lot more out of our elections department,” Botelho said.
An ordinance Supervisor Ruth Kesler proposed in November – which the board then postponed on the heels of the March election – included a $250 maximum donation rule. At the time, Kesler was vying for the District 2 seat. But she took third to Botelho and Freitas, who will runoff against each other in November.
In the March election, the proponents and opponents of Measure G spent the most money. Combined, the two campaigns spent more than $400,000.
Despite no official action Tuesday, Loe did direct the county counsel to examine Sarsfield’s suggestion to post candidates’ donor statements on the county’s Web site.
“I don’t think anybody doesn’t support giving the public that information,” Loe said.
Kollin Kosmicki can be reached at 637-5566, ext. 331 or at
