Pittsburgh narrowly OKs campaign finance reforms
By Jeremy Boren
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Pittsburgh City Council today narrowly passed limits on political campaign contributions.
In a 5-4 vote, the council capped contributions from individual donors to $2,000 per election. Political action committees would be limited to donations of $5,000 per election. If Mayor Luke Ravenstahl signs the legislation, the restrictions would take effect Jan. 1, 2010 and affect only candidates for the city's 11 elected offices.
"I will not be supporting the bill, simply because I believe that if campaign finance reform is to be adopted, it needs to be adopted statewide," said Councilman Jim Motznik, who voted against the limits with council members Tonya Payne, Dan Deasy and Darlene Harris.
Councilman Patrick Dowd said statewide adoption is irrelevant because the restrictions mirror federal standards.
"We don't need the state to do that," Dowd said. "We're following the lead of the Federal Elections Commission. If those limitations are good enough for Barack Obama, for example, then they're good enough for the nine elected City Council members, the city controller and the mayor."
Also voting in favor of the legislation were council President Doug Shields and members Ricky Burgess, Bruce Kraus and Bill Peduto, the bill's sponsor.
In addition to the donation restrictions, the ordinance would prohibit donors who give the maximum amount to a candidate from receiving a city contract without going through a competitive bidding process. Candidates who spend $250,000 or more on their own campaigns would trigger a provision that would double their opponents' contribution limits.
Ravenstahl previously has voiced skepticism about campaign finance limits. It isn't immediately clear whether the mayor will sign or veto the legislation.
Jeremy Boren can be reached at jboren@tribweb.com or 412-765-2312.
2 comments:
No. The limit is on the giving of money to politicians. You or anyone can still say anything you want.
The buying of politicians just became a tad harder.
The opportunities of free speech did not change.
Mark you will always be able to buy politicians. Now the city council is trying to tell people who and how much money they can give to people. It is my money, I labored for it, therefore it is my property. Is it right for anyone to tell me I can only give so much to a candidate I believe in?
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