§ 3.12.030. Purpose of this Act.

The purpose of this Act is to accomplish the following:

A.

To ensure that all individuals and interest groups in our City have a fair and equal opportunity to participate in elective and governmental processes.

B.

To reduce the influence of large contributors with a specific financial stake in matters under consideration by the City, and to counter the perception that decisions are influenced more by the size of contributions than by the best interests of the people of Oakland.

C.

To limit overall expenditures in campaigns, thereby reducing the pressure on candidates to raise large campaign war chests for defensive purposes, beyond the amount necessary to communicate reasonably with voters.

D.

To reduce the advantage of incumbents and thus encourage competition for elective office.

E.

To allow candidates and elected City Officials to spend a smaller proportion of their time on fundraising and a greater proportion of their time dealing with issues of importance to their constituents and the community.

F.

To ensure that serious candidates are able to raise enough money to communicate their views and positions adequately to the public, thereby promoting public discussion of the important issues involved in political campaigns.

G.

To help restore public trust in governmental and electoral institutions.

(Ord. No. 13399, § 1, 11-29-2016)