(a) The amount of contributions, whether cash or in-kind, as defined under Title 35 of the Ohio Revised Code, made by or accepted from any person or organization in any City of Norwood election shall not exceed the following:
(1) To elect an individual to the office of Mayor, Treasurer, Auditor, President of Council, Council-At-Large, or Law Director shall not exceed two thousand dollars ($2,000).
(2) To elect an individual to the office of Ward Council Member shall not exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000). Any contribution in excess of these limits is a non-allowable contribution.
The provisions of this section shall not limit the amount of contributions which may be made by a candidate to the candidate committee formed for that candidate's election, or to amounts spent by a candidate committee to further the nomination or election of the candidate for whose election the committee was formed.
(b) (1) "Organization," as used in subsection (a) hereof, includes but is not limited to candidate committees, exploratory committees, campaign committees, political action committees, continuing committees, and political party committees as defined under Title 35 of the Ohio Revised Code.
(2) "City of Norwood election" as used in subsection (a) hereof shall mean the period between the dates of the general elections when that office appears on the ballot. If a candidate appears on the ballot in a contested primary election, the period beginning the day after the last general election and ending on the date of such primary election, and the period beginning the day after such primary election and ending on the date of the general election shall each be considered a separate "City of Norwood election" for contributions to that candidate.
(c) Contributions from persons under fourteen years of age shall be considered made by the parents of guardians of such persons and shall be attributed toward any contribution limits prescribed in this section. Where the contributor under fourteen years of age has two custodial parents or guardians, fifty percent of the contribution shall be attributed to each parent or guardian, and where such contributor has one custodial parent or guardian, all such contributions shall be attributed to the custodial parent or guardian.
(d) Any person may file notice of a non-allowable contribution with either the Auditor or Law Director, which shall be accompanied by supporting documentation. Within thirty days of such filing, or within thirty days of acquiring independent knowledge of a possible non- allowable contribution, the Auditor or Law Director shall notify the Treasurer, Deputy Treasurer, and Candidate of the committee which received the contribution and the person or organization which made the contribution, that the contribution was non-allowable under this ordinance. The notice shall be made by personal service or by certified mail return receipt requested, and shall explain that failure to return the contribution and provide documentation within thirty days may result in criminal liability. Within thirty days following receipt of said notice from the Auditor or Law Director, the committee or organization shall return the non-allowable contribution to the contributor and furnish documentation of same to the Auditor or Law Director.
(e) The Treasurer and Deputy Treasurer of any committee, and the Treasurer, Deputy Treasurer, and Candidate of any candidate committee, that accepts a non-allowable contribution as defined by this section and fails to return such contribution within thirty days of receipt of the notice described in subsection (d) hereof, is guilty of a misdemeanor of the Third Degree.
(Ord. 13-2010. Passed 3-23-10.)