§ 3.12.150. Officeholder fund.

A.

Every elected City Official shall be permitted to establish one officeholder expense fund. All contributions deposited into the officeholder expense fund shall be deemed to be held in trust for expenses associated with holding the office currently held by the elected City Official. Contributions to the officeholder fund must be made by a separate check or other separate written instrument. Single contributions may not be divided between the officeholder fund and any other candidate committee. For District Councilmembers, City Auditor and School Board Directors total contributions to an officeholder fund shall not exceed twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) per year in office. For Councilmember-At-Large and City Attorney, total contributions to an officeholder fund shall not exceed thirty thousand dollars ($30,000.00) per year in office. For the office of the Mayor, total contributions to an officeholder fund shall not exceed fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) per year in office.

B.

Expenditures from an officeholder fund may be made for any political, governmental or other lawful purpose, but may not be used for any of the purposes prohibited in Subsection C.1. through 5. of this Section. Such allowable expenditures shall include, but are not limited to the following categories:

1.

Expenditures for fundraising (including solicitations by mail) for the officeholder expense fund;

2.

Expenditures for office equipment, furnishings and office supplies;

3.

Expenditures for office rent;

4.

Expenditures for salaries of part-time or full-time staff employed by the elected City Official for officeholder activities;

5.

Expenditures for consulting, research, polling, photographic or similar services except for campaign expenditures for any city, county, regional, state or federal elective office;

6.

Expenditures for conferences, meetings, receptions, and events attended in the performance of government duties by (1) the elected City Official; (2) a member of the elected City Official's staff; or (3) such other person designated by the elected City Official who is authorized to perform such government duties;

7.

Expenditures for travel, including lodging, meals and other related disbursements, incurred in the performance of governmental duties by (1) the elected City Official, (2) a member of the elected City Official's staff, (3) such other person designated by the elected City Official who is authorized to perform such government duties, or a member of such person's household accompanying the person on such travel;

8.

Expenditures for meals and entertainment directly preceding, during or following a governmental or legislative activity;

9.

Expenditures for donations to tax-exempt educational institutions or tax exempt charitable, civic or service organizations, including the purchase of tickets to charitable or civic events, where no substantial part of the proceeds will have a material financial effect on the elected officer, any member of his or her immediate family, or his or her committee treasurer;

10.

Expenditures for memberships to civic, service or professional organizations, if such membership bears a reasonable relationship to a governmental, legislative or political purpose;

11.

Expenditures for an educational course or educational seminar if the course or seminar maintains or improves skills which are employed by the elected City Official or a member of the elected City Official's staff in the performance of his or her governmental responsibilities;

12.

Expenditures for advertisements in programs, books, testimonials, souvenir books, or other publications if the advertisement does not support or oppose the nominations or election of a candidate for city, county, regional, state or federal elective office;

13.

Expenditures for mailing to persons within the City which provide information related to City-sponsored events, school district-sponsored events, an official's governmental duties or an official's position on a particular matter pending before the Council, Mayor, or School Board;

14.

Expenditures for expressions of congratulations, appreciation or condolences sent to constituents, employees, governmental officials, or other persons with whom the elected City Official communicates in his or her official capacity;

15.

Expenditures for payment of tax liabilities incurred as a result of authorized officeholder expense fund transactions;

16.

Expenditures for accounting, professional and administrative services provided to the officeholder fund;

17.

Expenditures for ballot measures.

C.

Officeholder expense funds shall not be used for the following:

1.

Expenditures in connection with a future election for any city, county, regional, state or federal elective office;

2.

Expenditures for campaign consulting, research, polling, photographic or similar services for election to city, county, regional, state or federal elective office;

3.

Membership in any athletic, social, fraternal, veteran or religious organization;

4.

Supplemental compensation for employees for performance of an act which would be required or expected of the person in the regular course or hours of his or her duties as a City Official;

5.

Any expenditure that would violate the provisions the California State Political Reform Act, including Government Code Sections 89506 and 89512 through 89519.

D.

No funds may be transferred from the officeholder fund of an elected City Official to any other candidate committee.

E.

Annual contributions received by or made to the officeholder fund shall be subject to the contribution limitations of Article III of this Act.

F.

Expenditures made from the officeholder fund shall not be subject to the voluntary expenditure ceilings of Article IV of this Act.

(Ord. No. 13399, § 1, 11-29-2016)