A. Monetary contributions by persons. In any election cycle or special election cycle, no person shall make, and no candidate for elective city office, or campaign treasurer, shall solicit or accept, any monetary contribution, including loans, which would cause the total amount of monetary contributions made by that person to that candidate for elective city office or to any committees controlled by that candidate, including monetary contributions to all committees controlled by the candidate, to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00).
B. Monetary contributions by political committees and broad-based political committees. In any election cycle or special election cycle, no political committee or broad-based political committee shall make, and no candidate for elective city office, or campaign treasurer, shall solicit or accept, any monetary contribution, including loans, which would cause the total amount of monetary contributions made by a political committee or broad-based political committee to that candidate for elective city office or to any committees controlled by that candidate to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000.00).
C. In-kind contributions. In any election cycle or special election cycle, no candidate for elective city office, or campaign treasurer, shall solicit or accept any in-kind goods and services (nonmonetary) which would cause the total amount contributed (monetary and nonmonetary) to that candidate, including contributions to all committees controlled by the candidate, to exceed the following amounts:
1. One thousand dollars ($1,000) by a person;
2. Two thousand dollars ($2,000) by a political committee or broad-based political committee.
D. Limitations applicable to specified committees. Primarily formed committees or similarly organized committees formed or existing primarily to support or oppose a single candidate or a group of specific candidates for elective city office being voted upon in the same election shall be subject to the campaign contribution limitations set forth in this chapter. Committees organized solely to support or oppose ballot measure(s) relating to city law shall not be subject to said campaign contribution limits.
E. Return of excess contributions. Contributions, including loans, which either in the aggregate or on their face exceed the contribution limits of this chapter shall be deemed not to have been accepted if returned by the effective date of this chapter, or returned prior to deposit or negotiation, within twenty (20) business days of receipt.
1. A late nonmonetary contribution shall be returned by returning to the contributor either the nonmonetary contribution or its monetary equivalent. It is permissible to return only the monetary amount by which the value of the nonmonetary contribution exceeds the contribution limits of this chapter, in an instance where the reason for the return is to avoid exceeding monetary limits.
2. This section shall not be construed to authorize the making or solicitation of any contribution in excess of the contribution limits of this chapter, or in violation of any of its other provisions.
F. Loans and discharge of loans. A candidate for elective city office may forgive loans made by the candidate to his or her campaign upon leaving office and by filing the relevant termination statements required by the Fair Political Practices Commission. (Ord. 2008-06 § 1 (part), 2008)