A. Declaration To Limit: A candidate may sign a written declaration pursuant to which the candidate agrees: 1) not to make contributions during the current election cycle to his or her own personal campaign committee in an amount exceeding, in the aggregate, three thousand dollars ($3,000.00), in the case of candidates for the city council, and seventy five thousand dollars ($75,000.00), in the case of candidates for mayor; and 2) to limit total campaign expenditures during the current election cycle by his or her personal campaign committee to an amount not exceeding, in the aggregate, fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000.00), in the case of candidates for the city council, and three hundred seventy five thousand dollars ($375,000.00), in the case of candidates for mayor. Except as provided in subsection B of this section, the city recorder shall require that each candidate either make such a declaration or sign a written statement declining to make such declaration, on the earliest of the following: 1) the day the candidate establishes a personal campaign committee pursuant to section 2.46.030 of this chapter; or 2) the day the candidate files a declaration of candidacy with the city. Except as provided in the next sentence, declarations by candidates shall be deemed terminated on the February 15 next following the general election. If, before the effective date of this amendment, a candidate entered into a contract with the city to limit campaign contributions and expenditures, such contract shall be deemed terminated on the effective date hereof.
B. Existing Committees: With respect to any personal campaign committee which exists prior to the effective date hereof, on February 15, 2001, the city recorder shall require the candidate for whom such committee exists to either make the declaration described in subsection A of this section or sign a written statement declining to make such a declaration.
C. Declaration Following Election: On the February 15 following any general election conducted by the city, any candidate for elective office at such general election or at the primary election preceding such general election, whose personal campaign committee has not been terminated before such date, shall notify the city recorder in writing whether or not such committee shall remain in existence after that date. Any candidate whose personal campaign committee shall remain in existence after that date shall, on such February 15, either make the written declaration described in subsection A of this section, or sign a written statement declining to make such a declaration.
D. Form Of Declaration: The city, with the approval of the city attorney, shall prepare a form of declaration, containing in substance the requirements set forth in subsection A of this section, for use by candidates and the city in complying with this section.
E. Reversal Of Decision:
1. If a candidate for an office has made the declaration described in subsection A of this section, and thereafter another candidate for the same office declines to make such a declaration, the candidate may, within fifteen (15) days after the city recorder provides public notice of such other candidate's decision not to make a declaration, void his or her declaration.
2. If a candidate has made the declaration described in subsection A of this section, and thereafter such candidate determines that a person is making independent expenditures in opposition to the candidate's candidacy, the candidate may, at any time after making such determination, by a written document provided to the city recorder, void his or her declaration.
3. If a candidate for an office has declined to make the declaration described in subsection A of this section, and thereafter another candidate for the same office makes such a declaration, within fifteen (15) days after the city recorder provides public notice of such other candidate's declaration the candidate may, unless he or she has already exceeded the contribution or expenditure limit, make such a declaration.
F. Publicity By City: Within forty eight (48) hours after any candidate either makes a declaration or signs a written statement declining to make such a declaration pursuant to subsection A of this section, the city recorder shall make available to the public a report stating whether or not such candidate made such a declaration. The city recorder shall also promptly make available to the public: 1) any reversal of a declaration to exceed or not to exceed the contribution or expenditure limits set forth in subsection A of this section, other than a reversal pursuant to subsection E1 of this section; and 2) any violation of a declaration entered into pursuant to subsection A of this section. (Ord. 1-01 § 2, 2001: Ord. 77-98 § 1, 1998)