AGENDA CAPTION:
Title
Consider approval of Ordinance 2018-37, on the second of two readings, amending Chapter 2, Article 5, Code Of Ethics, of the San Marcos City Code; adding a new division 4 - Campaign Finances; setting a limit of $500 on individual contributions to candidates for Mayor or City Council per election cycle; setting aggregate limits on contributions to candidates for the office of Mayor and Council Member; ordaining other matters related to the foregoing; and providing an effective date.
Body
Meeting date: September 18, 2018
Department: City Attorney
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Background Information:
The City Council received a presentation from the Ethics Review Commission at a workshop meeting on March 20, 2018 that included recommended changes to the San Marcos Code of Ethics to set limits on individual contributions to candidates for mayor and council positions and total limits on contributions to candidates during an election cycle. On August 6, 2018 the City Council conducted a special meeting and gave direction to city staff to bring forward an ordinance setting an individual limit of $500 on contributions to candidates for mayor and candidates for council places; and setting limits on total contributions that can be accepted during an election cycle based on the number of qualified voters in the most recent general election multiplied by $0.75 for mayoral candidates and multiplied by $0.50 for council candidates.
On September 4, 2018 the City Council approved the ordinance on first reading and directed the City Attorney to provide proposed wording, for second reading, prohibiting a council member from voting on matters that involve persons or business entities from whom the member had received a campaign contribution.
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