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(a) To be eligible to receive public matching funds, a candidate for mayor or city council must meet the requirements of the City Charter; and during the campaign period:
(1) For the office of mayor, receive three hundred (300) contributions of ten dollars ($10.00) or more;
(2) For the office of city council, receive two hundred (200) contributions of ten dollars ($10.00) or more.
(b) For purposes of establishing eligibility under this section, only those contributions received from residents of the City of Tucson shall be counted toward the requirement.
(c) Candidates must submit evidence of meeting the eligibility requirements of this section to the office of the campaign finance administrator for verification. Upon verification of eligibility, a candidate who has signed a campaign contract shall be eligible to receive public matching funds; provided that no such funds shall be disbursed to any qualified candidate prior to January 1 of the year in which the candidate's election is to be held and, provided further, that any candidate who receives public matching funds and later fails to file for public office or withdraws as a candidate after filing shall, no later than ten (10) days following such event, return to the election campaign account an amount equal to the public funds disbursed to that candidate.
(Ord. No. 6300, § 1, eff. 3-4-86)
(a) A candidate who has met the eligibility requirements for public matching funds and who has signed a campaign contract shall be entitled to receive one dollar ($1.00) in public matching funds for each dollar received during the campaign period from any individual contribution. Neither loans nor the transfers of anything of value other than money to the candidate or the candidate's campaign committee shall be matched with public funds.
(b) If following the election wherein the candidate is elected or defeated, the candidate has unexpended campaign contributions, any surplus shall be returned to the election campaign account until the full amount of public matching funds disbursed has been returned. Any remaining unexpended campaign contributions shall be returned to the election campaign account, contributors, or to a non-profit charitable organization. All unexpended campaign contributions must be disbursed no later than the first Monday in December following the election. (Ord. No. 7684, § 1, eff. 12-30-91)
(c) A candidate who has signed a campaign contract may void the contract within fifteen (15) days after the close of filing, provided, an opponent of that candidate does not enter into a campaign contract pursuant to this subchapter; and provided further, that the candidate returns all public funds received to the election campaign account no later than ten (10) days following such event.
(Ord. No. 6300, § 1, eff. 3-4-86)
Editors Note: Subsection (b) was amended by Ord. No. 7684, adopted Sept. 3, 1991; approved at referendum Nov. 5, 1991; certified by the mayor Nov. 12, 1991; and approved by the governor Dec. 30, 1991. The measure provided for disposition of all surplus funds rather than half as before and added the third sentence.
The mayor and council shall establish an election campaign account in the general fund into which shall be deposited such sums as may be appropriated from time to time in the annual budget, gifts and donations made to the city for the support of public election campaign financing, and such sums as may otherwise be appropriated to said account. Money in said account shall be expended from time to time for the purpose of assisting the financing of public election campaigns.
(Ord. No. 6300, § 1, eff. 3-4-86)
(a) Public matching funds may be expended only for the receiving candidate's direct campaign purposes such as, but not limited to, purchasing campaign literature or media space or time, mailings, renting campaign headquarters, or paying for campaign headquarter telephones. A candidate who signs a campaign contract may use neither contributions nor public matching funds for indirect campaign purposes such as, but not limited to, providing a candidate's personal support, or for donation to another's campaign. Permissibility of an expenditure of public matching funds shall be determined by the campaign finance administrator.
(b) Goods with a value in excess of two hundred dollars ($200.00) any part of which have been purchased with public matching funds and having a useful life extending beyond the end of the campaign period shall revert to the city.
(Ord. No. 6300, § 1, eff. 3-4-86)
(a) The city clerk or other officer appointed by the mayor and council shall be the campaign finance administrator. The office of the campaign finance administrator shall not be included in the classified civil service.
(b) The campaign finance administrator shall be responsible for the management of said office, shall administer the provisions of the subchapter and is authorized to adopt, promulgate, amend and rescind suitable administrative rules and regulations to carry out the policies and purposes of this subchapter. Prior to becoming effective, such rules and regulations shall be approved by the mayor and council.
(Ord. No. 6300, § 1, eff. 3-4-86)
(a) A candidate or person who knowingly or intentionally refuses or fails to comply with the requirements of subchapters A and B of chapter XVI of the Tucson Charter is guilty of a misdemeanor, and any such candidate's name shall not appear upon the ballot. If the ballot is printed before conviction, the candidate shall be denied the right to hold office if elected.
(b) In addition to other penalties provided for by law, any candidate who fails to comply with the requirements of subchapters A and B of chapter XVI of the Tucson Charter or conditions of a properly executed campaign contract shall be ineligible to receive further funds until in compliance. Any candidate who exceeds the contract expenditure limitation shall immediately return to the appropriate city account three dollars ($3.00) for each dollar overspent in that election.
(Ord. No. 6300, § 1, eff. 3-4-86)