Election Contribution Cap OKd

The Santa Monica City Council last week voted to limit contributions to this year’s election campaigns to $500, an interim measure that may be changed by a revamping of the city’s campaign financing laws after the November election.

The unanimous vote followed a last-minute change from a recommended $250 limit that was perceived as giving an unfair advantage to candidates who have already been raising money. The previous maximum donation was $1,492.

In response to a complaint from council members Christine Reed and Herb Katz, the measure was changed to apply to broad-based political committees, as well as individuals.

Reed, who is running for a fifth term, said that unless the political committees were included, candidates backed by politically potent Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights could reap the benefits of a state law allowing the groups to contribute up to $5,000 yearly to a candidate.

The council also changed the effective date of the limits from July 1 to July 24 amid complaints that it was unfair to candidates who had raised larger sums over the last few weeks to change rules in the middle of the game.