City of Philadelphia - File #: 000505

• File #: 000505
• Version: 0
• Type: Bill
• Status: LAPSED
• File created: 6/22/2000
• In control: Committee of the Whole
• Title: Amending Title 20 of The Philadelphia Code entitled "Officers and Employees" by adding a new Chapter 20-800 entitled "Campaign Finance" providing for the limitations of contributions to municipal election campaigns, all under certain terms and conditions.
• Sponsors: Councilmember Kenney, Councilmember Ortiz, Councilmember Goode, Councilmember Cohen, Councilmember Nutter, Councilmember DiCicco
• Indexes: CAMPAIGN FINANCE
• Code sections: 20-800 - CAMPAIGN FINANCE, 20-801 - Definitions, 20-802 - Campaign Contribution Limitations, 20-803 - Campaign Accounts, 20-804 - Penalties, 20-805 - Injunctive Relief

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
12/20/2001	0	CITY COUNCIL	READ
12/20/2001	0	CITY COUNCIL	FAILED	Fail	7:10
1/23/2001	0	CITY COUNCIL	ORDERED PLACED ON NEXT WEEK`S SECOND READING CALENDAR
12/14/2000	0	CITY COUNCIL	ORDERED PRINTED AND PLACED ON NEXT FIRST READING CALENDAR	Pass
12/12/2000	0	Committee of the Whole	HEARING NOTICES SENT
12/12/2000	0	Committee of the Whole	REPORTED FAVORABLY
6/22/2000	0	CITY COUNCIL	Re-Referred
6/22/2000	0	CITY COUNCIL	Introduced	Pass

Title
Amending Title 20 of The Philadelphia Code entitled "Officers and Employees" by adding a new Chapter 20-800 entitled "Campaign Finance" providing for the limitations of contributions to municipal election campaigns, all under certain terms and conditions.
Body
WHEREAS, In Philadelphia in recent years, a substantial number of individual campaign contributions have exceeded ten thousand dollars and oftentimes exceeding fifty thousand dollars; and

WHEREAS, Total campaign contributions in the City's municipal elections since 1991 have escalated to astronomical levels, approaching a half million dollars in some City Council races and exceeding $27 million spent in the 1999 mayoral election; and

WHEREAS, Such excessive monetary contributions leave the impression with the average citizen that our government is for sale to the highest bidder, and that only those persons or businesses that have contributed heavily to the campaigns of City elected officials can obtain City contracts or financial assistance; and

WHEREAS, The public good and the electoral process would be best served by limiting campaign contributions, which would restore confidence that government contracts and assistance are being awarded in an ethical manner, and would prevent any person or entity from exerting undue influence in an election; and

WHEREAS, It is wholly appropriate that the democratically elected legislative body for the citizens of Philadelphia attempt to remedy these perceived and real threats to our democracy through the enactment of municipal campaign contribution limitations; now therefore

THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:

SECTION 1. Title 20 of The Philadelphia Code relating to Officers and Employees is hereby amended to add the following new chapter:

CHAPTER 20-800. CAMPAIGN FINANCE.

§20-801. Definitions.

(1) Candidate. Any person running for election for the offices of Mayor, City Controller, District Attorney, or City Cou...