Campaign Finance Reform Resolution By Councilmember Joan Gronowski

 WHEREAS, there have been numerous successful efforts during the past several decades to affect Campaign Finance Reform in an attempt to modify the influence of money in politics and in political campaigns; and

WHEREAS, these reform measures have included improved disclosure, tougher enforcement, voluntary public financing of elections and lowering the amount of campaign contributions; and,
 WHEREAS, limiting campaign contributions brings many more people into the election process, since candidates are forced to reach out to a broader number of “real voters” and also frees elected officials, candidates and their campaigns from undue influences, lessening the public perception that political favors are often the result of large political contributions

NOW, THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED, that the Code of the City of Yonkers, New York, Chapter 11,
entitled “Campaign Finance Reform”, be amended with the following conditions, to apply for all elected officials and candidates, except where noted otherwise, for any public office in the City of

Yonkers in any primary, general or special election: 

• No
  candidate for Mayor or City Council shall accept or receive a campaign
  contribution from any individual, corporation or unincorporated
  association, of more that Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) per election
  period.
  • Contributions
    include monies, loans, debts incurred, property-in-kind, or things having
    a monetary value incurred or received by a candidate or his agent or
    other person on behalf of the candidate for use in advocating or
    influencing the election of the candidate.

• Candidates
  for office shall be prohibited from receiving any campaign contributions
  from the following:
  • Any
    individual or business entity receiving any manor of government contract
    for services of any kind, has submitted a bid or proposal, or who is
    involved in any business relationship with the City of Yonkers, or who is
    receiving or seeks to receive funds from the city or a grant distributed
    by the city from federal, state or other sources;
  • All
    corporations, developers, contractors, political action committees
    (PACs), labor organizations and other entities which face a substantial
    likelihood of having matters under consideration by the City of Yonkers;
  • Members
    of any mayoral or city council appointed board, commission, or committee;

• Taxpayer-financed
  mailings by incumbents should be banned during the period of six months
  prior to general election and primary, if applicable. Any pertinent
  information required for public consumption can be disseminated by the
  appropriate department head involved, not by the political candidate and
  without the incumbent political candidate’s name being used in the
  notification.

NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the acceptance by any candidate or elected
official, of a campaign contribution in excess of $100 shall create a conflict
of interest with regard to that elected official’s vote on any issue or matter
coming before the legislative and or executive branches involving a benefit to
the contributing; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,
that all challenging candidates for public office who have successfully
met the criteria set forth by the Westchester County Board of Elections and who
are assured placement on a ballot for a primary, general or special election,
shall be allowed to post their issues on the city’s websites, cable access
channel and public access channels, to be afforded the same opportunity
provided to incumbent candidates, who have unlimited access to these taxpayer
funded media, and which amounts to a substantial financial benefit in a
campaign. 

Submitted to Rules –

November 18, 2008