OPPOSE Restrictions on Campaign Finance Reform!
August 13, 2007

HELP   US   DEFEAT   THIS   BILL Please call or fax your State Senator at the district office before August 20 and tell them to vote NO on AB 1430.

• What would the bill do?
• Why is the League of Women Voters opposed to AB 1430?
• What points can you make to your Senator when asking for a "no" vote?
• What is the contact information for your Senator? (Enter your zip code into box)
• What groups oppose this bill?
• Where can you find more information including newspaper editorials?

ABOUT THE BILL
AB 1430 would prohibit local jurisdictions from regulating the source and amount of money that political parties can use to campaign for candidates – even though the state legislature does the exact same thing for state elections.

The bill would prohibit local jurisdictions from doing any of the following unless a state statute or regulation explicitly makes these restrictions applicable to member communications:

• restricting the sources of payments for member communications
• limiting payments to a political party committee for member communications
• limiting the scope of payments related to the making of member communications (such as costs for formulating, designing, producing, and distributing communications; surveys; list acquisitions; and consulting fees).

The bill states that the universe of things that would be disallowed includes, but is not limited to, the above items.

LEAGUE CONCERNS
The League believes that the methods of financing political campaigns should ensure the public’s right to know, combat corruption and undue influence, enable candidates to compete more equitably for public office and allow maximum citizen participation in the political process.

AB 1430 would make it essentially impossible for a local jurisdiction to regulate campaign communications from organizations, including political parties, to their members. This bill would prohibit a local government from limiting such payments or placing restrictions on their source, and would leave the door open for even broader prohibitions.

We are also concerned that this bill could restrict a municipality’s ability to require reporting of certain expenditures, lessening the information available to the public and interfering with existing campaign finance regulatory procedures.

We believe that this bill is an inappropriate restriction on the ability of local governments to regulate their own elections. Contributions to parties for spending on candidates to elective state office are limited in state law. We see no reason why similar limitations at the local level should not be allowed should a municipality choose to impose them.

ACTION REQUESTED
Please call or fax your State Senator at the district office now and tell them to vote NO on AB 1430. This bill could be voted on by the Senate at any time after the State Legislature reconvenes on Monday August 20, 2007.

POINTS TO MAKE
Please vote NO on AB 1430 (Garrick) Local Campaign Finance Regulations

1. AB 1430 would take away local control of local elections.
   The right of many cities and counties to regulate their own elections is enshrined in the state constitution and Political Reform Act. AB 1430 threatens to abridge these rights, substituting the view of the state legislature for that of voters and local officials as to what campaign finance laws best meet the needs of local jurisdictions.
   
   
2. AB 1430 would undermine local campaign finance limits, creating a legislature-sponsored loophole in local campaign finance laws.
   AB 1430 would prevent cities and counties from enacting any laws that would restrict the funneling of large contributions through political parties to benefit candidates – even when the candidate, party, and donor coordinate the payment. This would create an enormous loophole in local campaign finance laws, allowing special interest groups to use large campaign contributions to dominate local elections and exert undue influence over local officials.
   
   
3. AB 1430 imposes one-size-fits-all disclosure laws for local elections.
   AB 1430’s prohibitions cover not only contribution limits, but disclosure as well. Even though many cities and counties have a different election calendar, AB 1430 would require all cities and counties to use the same disclosure laws as the state.

OPPOSITION
Opposition to AB 1430 includes local elected officials, good government groups, consumer groups, and the ethics commissions of Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco.

Los Angeles City Ethics Commission
League of Women Voters of California   (Read our statement of opposition)
San Diego City Ethics Commission
CALPIRG
San Francisco City Ethics Comm.
California Clean Money Campaign
Greenlining Institute

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Chris Carson, Government Director

EDITORIALS against AB 1430
Los Angeles Times (6/19) – “Campaign Reform Reversal?”
San Diego Union Tribune (6/22) – “Nanny State, Redux”
San Francisco Chronicle (7/16) – “Legislature’s Dirty-money bill”

Keep Us Informed: Please copy any responses to Trudy Schafer, LWVC Program Director/Advocate, at advocacy@lwvc.org.