(Amended by Ord. No. 185,923, Eff. 1/28/19.)
The Ethics Commission has a duty under Charter Section 702(h) to annually adjust limitations and disclosure thresholds in City law to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
A. The duty applies to the following provisions in the City’s campaign finance laws:
1. The per-person limits on campaign contributions in Charter Sections 470(c)(3) and 470(c)(4).
2. The per-person limits on loans in Charter Section 470(c)(8).
3. The aggregate limits on campaign contributions from non-individuals in Charter Section 470(c)(7).
4. The per-person limit on cash contributions in Charter Section 470(d).
5. The aggregate limit on anonymous contributions in Charter Section 470(e).
6. The limit on expressions of congratulations or condolences by an officeholder committee in Section 49.7.19 D.12.
7. The aggregate limits on contributions and transfers to and expenditures by a City Council officeholder committee in Sections 49.7.19 G.1. - 3.
8. The aggregate limits on contributions to and expenditures by a Citywide officeholder committee in Sections 49.7.19 H.1. - 3.
9. The limits on the expenditure of personal funds in a campaign in Section 49.7.23 C.5.
10. The limits on expenditures by a participating candidate in Section 49.7.24.
11. The independent expenditure threshold that lifts the expenditure ceilings for a participating candidate in Section 49.7.25.
12. The maximum matching funds available to a participating candidate in a primary election in Section 49.7.29 A.
13. The maximum matching funds available to a participating candidate in a general election in Section 49.7.29 B.
1. The adjustments shall be automatically calculated and published by the Ethics Commission staff no later than March 1 of each year.
2. Adjustments shall reflect the percent change in CPI for All Urban Consumers that is published by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics for the region that includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area from December 2011 to the December immediately prior to the adjustment using the following formula: divide the CPI for the December immediately prior to the adjustment by 231.567 (the CPI for December 2011); multiply the resulting number by each value below; and round as specified in Subdivision 3.
a. $700 for the per-person limits on contributions and loans to a City Council candidate.
b. $1,300 for the per-person limits on contributions and loans to a Citywide candidate.
c. The following aggregate limits on non- individual contributions:
i. $202,300 to a City Council candidate.
ii. $539,400 to a City Attorney and a Controller candidate.
iii. $1,213,800 to a Mayoral candidate.
d. $25 for the per-person limit on cash contributions.
e. $200 for the aggregate limit on anonymous contributions.
f. $140 for the limit on expressions of congratulations or condolence by an officeholder committee.
g. $93,000 for the aggregate limits on contributions and transfers to and expenditures by a City Council officeholder committee.
h. $150,000 for the aggregate limits on contributions and transfers to and expenditures by a Citywide officeholder committee.
i. The following limits on the expenditure of personal funds by a participating candidate:
i. $31,100 for a City Council candidate.
ii. $124,500 for a Citywide candidate.
j. The following expenditure limits for a participating candidate in a primary election:
i. $480,000 for a City Council candidate.
ii. $1,119,000 for a Controller candidate.
iii. $1,259,000 for a City Attorney candidate.
iv. $2,798,000 for a Mayoral candidate.
k. The following expenditure limits for a participating candidate in a general election:
i. $400,000 for a City Council candidate.
ii. $840,000 for a Controller candidate.
iii. $979,000 for a City Attorney candidate.
iv. $2,237,000 for a Mayoral candidate.
l. The following independent expenditure thresholds that lift the expenditure limits for a participating candidate:
i. $77,000 in a City Council race.
ii. $155,000 in a Controller and a City Attorney race.
iii. $309,000 in a Mayoral race.
m. The following maximum matching funds for a participating candidate in a primary election:
i. $135,000 for a City Council candidate.
ii. $360,000 for a Controller candidate.
iii. $405,000 for a City Attorney candidate.
iv. $900,000 for a Mayoral candidate.
n. The following maximum matching funds for a participating candidate in a general election:
i. $169,000 for a City Council candidate.
ii. $405,000 for a Controller candidate.
iii. $472,000 for a City Attorney candidate.
iv. $1,079,000 for a Mayoral candidate.
3. Adjustments shall be rounded as follows:
a. To the nearest $10 for the values in Subsections B.2.d. and B.2.f.
b. To the nearest $100 for the values in Subsections B.2.a., B.2.b., B.2.c. and B.2.e.
c. To the nearest $1,000 for the values in Subsections B.2.g. through B.2.n.