The City Council’s attempt to conform with new state election campaign finance laws almost skidded into a cliffhanger last evening before sailing to victory.
Until just before a unanimous vote for an ordinance that had been in doubt, member Jeff Cooper was firing questions at three city lawyers about legal risks to City Hall if the present law were not changed. He pressed and pressed.
At the first City Council discussion last month, both Mayor Mehaul O’Leary and Mr. Cooper had held out against changing campaign finance laws since candidates already were stirring for next April’s three-seat Council election. They said in August and were similarly concerned last evening that changing finance regulations after some campaigns already had begun would be unfair to the later starters.
City Hall’s 26-year-old campaign donations law limited individual donations to $500 and did not cap in-kind donations. The new ordinance draws the donation line at $1,000 for both cash from individuals and in-kind. There also are numerous other changes that almost would tax the capacity of an I-pad to list.,
Mr. O’Leary also fretted that when the next Council convenes – with a minimum of two first-time members – it would be unfair to saddle them with changing a campaign finance law that they themselves did not have to deal with in their own just-completed election.
Jamie Wallace, noting that she is involved with three campaigns, and Laura Stuart, two familiar activists, agreed that change is needed. They harmonized, however, in saying, not now, please. Wait until after April because change now would be unfair to later starting candidates.
When the fretting had been exhausted before a slender crowd at the one-day-delayed meeting, Messrs. O’Leary and Cooper aligned with the original backers of the ordinance, Vice Mayor Andy Weissman and Jim Clarke.
Once again Councilperson Meghan Sahli-Wells, the only member up for re-election who is eligible to return, recused herself from the discussion-vote.
Council Notes – As expected, the Council breezily approved an ordinance that speeds up process for obtaining permits for solar panels for residential roofs to three days…Mr. Cooper declared his voice for uprooting current term limit laws that hold members to two terms before forcing them to sit out for two years. It is expected to be on an upcoming agenda…A cluster of anti-mansionization residents protested the perceived slowness of action on their behalf and promised to appear at this evening’s Planning Commission meeting…
