A. At the close of the period for filing nomination papers for city elective office, the director of the Department of Finance, in consultation with the city clerk and any other city officers, employees or agents as required, shall determine:
1. The total amount of money in the Campaign Reform Fund as of that date; and
2. The amount estimated as necessary to provide participating candidates with matching public funds. For purposes of estimating the amount of public funds required, the director of the Department of Finance shall presume that each participating candidate will request, and will be entitled to, the maximum amount of matching public funds made available during the primary and general election periods pursuant to Section 2.14.140.
B. If the director of the Department of Finance determines the monies in the Campaign Reform Fund are insufficient to satisfy the estimated needs of the eligible candidates, and if additional funds adequate to meet the estimated needs of participating candidates are not thereafter transferred into the Campaign Reform Fund, the director of the Department of Finance shall allocate and thereafter disburse the matching public funds on a pro rata basis.
1. Allocation Between Mayoral and Councilmember Races. If it is determined that the amounts in the Campaign Reform Fund are insufficient to meet the estimated needs of participating candidates, the director of the Department of Finance shall allocate forty (40) percent of the Campaign Reform Fund for the mayoral race and sixty (60) percent of the Campaign Reform Fund for the city councilmember races, except as provided below.
a. Exception. To the extent an amount allocated pursuant to the foregoing procedure exceeds the estimated needs of the remaining participating candidates in the mayoral or city councilmember races, the surplus shall be allocated to the other race(s).
2. Reallocation After Primary Election Period. Following the primary elections for the mayor and/or city councilmember races, the director of the Department of Finance shall determine whether the aggregate amounts remaining in the Campaign Reform Fund are sufficient to provide the remaining participating candidates with matching funds in the general election. If it is determined that the amounts are insufficient to meet the estimated needs of the remaining participating candidates, the director of the Department of Finance shall again allocate forty (40) percent of the Campaign Reform Fund for the mayoral race and sixty (60) percent of the Campaign Reform Fund for the city councilmember races, except as provided below.
a. Exception. To the extent an amount allocated pursuant to the foregoing procedure exceeds the estimated needs of the remaining participating candidates in the mayoral and/or city councilmember races, the surplus shall be allocated to the other race(s).
C. Reassessment After Primary Election Period. Following the primary elections for the mayor and/or city councilmember races, the director of the Department of Finance shall determine whether the aggregate amounts remaining in the Campaign Reform Fund are sufficient to provide the remaining participating candidates with matching funds in the general election. If it is determined that the amounts are insufficient to meet the estimated needs of the remaining participating candidates, the director of the Department of Finance shall again allocate and thereafter disburse the matching public funds on a pro rata basis.
D. Disbursement of Public Funds. The director of the Department of Finance shall disburse monies from the Campaign Reform Fund, as allocated above, to qualifying candidates for the mayoral or city councilmember races pursuant to the following procedures:
1. Primary and Special Elections. The director of the Department of Finance shall disburse matching public funds to participating candidates for the mayoral or city councilmember races on a first come-first served basis, provided that the total amount disbursed to participating candidates in the mayoral or city councilmember races shall not exceed one-half of the amounts allocated to those races pursuant to subsection (B)(1) above. Disbursements to participating mayoral candidates shall be made only from the funds allocated to the mayoral race pursuant to subsection (B)(1) above, and disbursements to participating city councilmember candidates shall be made only from the funds allocated to the city councilmember races pursuant to subsection (B)(1) above.
2. General Elections. The director of the Department of Finance shall disburse matching public funds to participating candidates for the mayoral or city councilmember races on a first come-first served basis, provided that the total amount disbursed to participating candidates in the mayoral or city councilmember races shall not exceed the amounts allocated to those races pursuant to subsection (B)(2) above. Disbursements to participating mayoral candidates shall be made only from the funds allocated to the mayoral race pursuant to subsection (B)(2) above, and disbursements to participating city councilmember candidates shall be made only from the funds allocated to the city councilmember races pursuant to subsection (B)(2) above.
E. Commencing one week after the last date for filing declarations of candidacy, and continuing until the date of the ensuing general election, the director of the department of finance, in consultation with the city clerk and any other city officers, employees, or agents as required, shall issue bi-weekly reports on the financial status of the Campaign Reform Fund. Such report shall include an accounting of how much money remains available in the fund for distribution to qualifying candidates, how many candidates have declared their intention to accept financing and have qualified for financing from the fund, the comparable data regarding eligible candidates and available funds at similar stages in prior elections, if any, and any other information that will assist candidates in estimating whether sufficient funds are likely to be available in the Campaign Reform Fund to satisfy the full entitlement of qualifying candidates. (Ord. 2003-046 § 1)