Anaheim council debates new campaign reforms

Candidates in Anaheim could have only a year following an election to fundraise to settle campaign debts under new campaign reform measures the City Council is looking at.

Councilmembers, on Tuesday, asked city staffers to develop a new law to limit debt fundraising and one that would set a cap of $100,000 on personal loans a candidate can make to their campaign.

The action is part of the council’s continued discussions on changes the city should make following the release of an independent investigation into City Hall last summer that recommended a variety of reforms.

The council will have to vote on final wording for an ordinance at a meeting later in the year. It would only apply to candidates running for city offices.

Mayor Ashleigh Aitken said setting a limit is important.

“I can name five candidates right now that we had that had multiple campaign committees open, fundraising into all of them,” she said. “You’re not really restricted on what you can do.”

The state has a law – it doesn’t apply to Anaheim – that sets candidates own loans to their campaigns at no more than $100,000. Under that law, candidates can’t charge interest.

The council debated at length on the considerations behind several campaign reform ideas. Some concerns were raised for candidates not being able to get contributions to help pay down campaign debt if they lose an election, but ultimately the six councilmembers present supported the ideas, with Councilmember Jose Diaz absent during that portion of the meeting.

Debt reduction for campaigns is already subject to contribution limits, according to a memo provided to the City Council that was prepared by Craig Steele, an attorney advising Anaheim as it navigates its reforms.

Steele wrote in the memo that other cities have set a post-election period for how long fundraising is allowed.

Meanwhile, the council was split 3-3 on asking staff to work on developing a law to require independent expenditure political groups to give the city copies of campaign materials, such as mailers or phone banking scripts, that would then be posted online for the public. The idea was inspired by what’s done in Los Angeles.

Councilmember Natalie Rubalcava said she doesn’t want political material on the city’s website, saying it would empower independent expenditures, which can’t coordinate with candidates, and would let people post the material easily on social media.

“I don’t think that helps solve any of the transparency problems that we have had in the past at the city of Anaheim,” Rubalcava said. “I just don’t feel comfortable empowering the independent expenditures.”

Councilmember Stephen Faessel did vote for the idea, but said he was uncomfortable with city staff having access to the material before the public does. He said when independent expenditures have supported him in the past, he found out when he got the postcard in his mailbox.

Aiken said it was important for people to have easy access to the information, even if it’s disinformation. Diaz did not vote on the item, but questioned why Anaheim would want to follow the city of Los Angeles.