(A) The Clerk shall distribute money from the Fund to Participating Candidates. The Clerk shall distribute revenue within three business days of certification. In the event that a Candidate's certification for public financing or qualification by the County Clerk as a Candidate has been challenged, the Clerk shall distribute funds to the Participating Candidate within three business days of receiving notice that the certification and/or qualification by the County Clerk as a Candidate has been upheld.
(B) The Clerk shall distribute $2.00 per registered City voter to Mayoral Participating Candidates and $1.25 per registered City voter residing in the district in which the Participating Council Candidate desires to represent. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in Council districts containing fewer than 40,000 registered voters, the Clerk shall distribute $40,000 to each Participating Council Candidate, in lieu of $1.25 per registered City voter residing in the district.
(1) Beginning January 15, 2027, and every two years thereafter, the Clerk shall adjust the distribution amount per registered City voter based on the change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) as published by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. The adjustment shall reflect the percentage change in the CPI-U from January 1, 2024, to December 31 of the year preceding the adjustment.
(C) The amount of revenue to be distributed to a Participating Candidate shall be reduced by an amount equal to the aggregate amount of Seed Money contributions received by the Participating Candidate during the Exploratory and Qualifying Periods.
(D) A Participating Candidate may withdraw as a Participating Candidate by filing a written statement of withdrawal with the Clerk.
(E) If the withdrawn Participating Candidate continues to participate in the election as a Non-Participating Candidate then:
(1) at the time the statement of withdrawal is filed, the candidate shall deliver to the Clerk an amount of money equal to all monies distributed to the candidate from the Fund after the candidate was certified as a Participating Candidate plus interest of the total amount of monies received at a rate of 12% per annum.
(F) If a Participating Candidate is not certified as a candidate, in accordance with applicable state and other City law, then the candidate shall deliver to the Clerk an amount of money equal to all monies distributed to the candidate from the Fund after the candidate was certified as a Participating Candidate plus interest of the total amount of monies received at a rate of 12% per annum.
(G) If a Participating Candidate entirely withdraws from a race for a Covered Office then he shall immediately return any amount to the Fund that is unspent or unencumbered at the time he ceases to be a Participating Candidate before a regular municipal election.
(H) If a Participating Candidate becomes unopposed following the distribution of funds, the Participating Candidate shall be promptly given notice by the City Clerk and shall be given three (3) business days after being notified to return any unspent or unencumbered funds. Following the return of funds, the Participating Candidate becomes a privately financed candidate and is no longer subject to the contribution and expenditure requirements of the Open and Ethical Election Code.
(Amended at Regular Municipal Election, November 5, 2019.) (Amended by Ordinance No. 2019-019; Am. Ord. 2022-042; Am. Ord. 2024-036)