tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7481330.post1500714062921591856..comments2023-10-24T11:05:25.288-04:00Comments on Mark Rauterkus & Running Mates ponder current events: Campaign Finance Reform -live bloggingMark Rauterkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17157914569686528007noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7481330.post-30449147725337980102008-04-24T20:44:00.001-04:002008-04-24T20:44:00.001-04:00Pittsburgh Council Proposes Limiting Campaign Cont...<A HREF="http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/15984236/detail.html" REL="nofollow">Pittsburgh Council Proposes Limiting Campaign Contributions - Pittsburgh News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh</A>: "Pittsburgh Council Proposes Limiting Campaign Contributions"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7481330.post-31323777492142356482008-04-24T20:44:00.000-04:002008-04-24T20:44:00.000-04:00Bob Mayo of WTAE TVPittsburgh Council Proposes Lim...Bob Mayo of WTAE TV<BR/><BR/>Pittsburgh Council Proposes Limiting Campaign Contributions<BR/><BR/>POSTED: 6:44 pm EDT April 24, 2008<BR/>UPDATED: 7:17 pm EDT April 24, 2008<BR/>[NEWSVINE: Pittsburgh Council Proposes Limiting Campaign Contributions] [DELICIOUS: Pittsburgh Council Proposes Limiting Campaign Contributions] [DIGG: Pittsburgh Council Proposes Limiting Campaign Contributions] [FACEBOOK: Pittsburgh Council Proposes Limiting Campaign Contributions] [REDDIT: Pittsburgh Council Proposes Limiting Campaign Contributions] [RSS] [PRINT: Pittsburgh Council Proposes Limiting Campaign Contributions] [EMAIL: Pittsburgh Council Proposes Limiting Campaign Contributions]<BR/>PITTSBURGH -- There are limits on how much any one person or group can donate to a presidential candidate.<BR/><BR/>Rules are a lot looser at the local level, but a bill being discussed by Pittsburgh City Council could change that.<BR/><BR/>There's no limit to how much cash a contributor can give a candidate for mayor, city council or controller.<BR/><title>lmb_lre_PassStWeatherMapVidTxtRedHdENPRR15s_Fed3Q225_0408_300x250</title><A TARGET="_blank" HREF="http://ad.doubleclick.net/click%3Bh=v8/36ad/3/0/%2a/n%3B201383424%3B3-0%3B0%3B22890689%3B4307-300/250%3B26205832/26223686/1%3B%3B%7Eokv%3D%3Bkw%3Dnews+square+15984236%3Bcomp%3D197744775%3Bad%3Dtrue%3Bpgtype%3Ddetail%3Btile%3D4%3Bsz%3D300x250%3B%7Eaopt%3D0/ff/a67/ff%3B%7Efdr%3D167268683%3B0-0%3B0%3B12656207%3B4307-300/250%3B24215788/24233641/1%3B%3B%7Eokv%3D%3Bkw%3Dnews+square+15984236%3Bcomp%3D197744775%3Bad%3Dtrue%3Bpgtype%3Ddetail%3Btile%3D4%3Bsz%3D300x250%3B%7Eaopt%3D2/2/a67/0%3B%7Esscs%3D%3fhttps://www.lowermybills.com/servlet/LMBServlet?the_action=NavigateHomeLoansAdRedirect&sourceid=22890689-201383424-26223686"><IMG SRC="http://m1.2mdn.net/1420759/lmb_lre_PassStWeatherMapVidTxtRedHdENPRR15s_Fed3Q225_0408_300x250.gif" BORDER=0></A><BR/><BR/>Councilman Bill Peduto is pushing for campaign finance reform to clamp down on building up huge war chests from big money donors.<BR/><BR/>Peduto said he wants to "catch Pittsburgh up with what cities around the country have been doing for the last 40 years, setting limits on the amounts of campaign contributions deep pockets can make."<BR/><BR/>Councilman Patrick Dowd's amendment would apply the contribution limits that are now in federal campaigns -- $2,300 from individuals and $5,000 from political action committees.<BR/><BR/>"If it's good enough for Sen. (Hillary) Clinton, Sen. (Barack) Obama and Sen. (John) McCain, it's certainly good enough for those of us who sit or who might someday sit at this table, in the controller's office or in the mayor's office," Dowd said.<BR/><BR/>Councilman Ricky Burgess' amendment would report contributor business with the city.<BR/><BR/>"It makes it very transparent if the person who's giving (said) what their relationship with the city is, and what benefit he or she would derive from that relationship," Burgess said.<BR/><BR/>Mayor Luke Ravenstahl prefers state reform.<BR/><BR/>"I think Pittsburgh needs to lead by example, and we need to do something," Ravenstahl said. "I look forward to having a discussion with council on exactly what that might be."<BR/><BR/>An initial vote on the proposed reforms is still a couple of weeks awat.<BR/><BR/>The proposed changes would not take effect until 2010, after the next race mayoral race.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7481330.post-36569200524284747592008-04-24T16:29:00.000-04:002008-04-24T16:29:00.000-04:00Council broadens campaign donation rules, delays v...Council broadens campaign donation rules, delays vote<BR/>Thursday, April 24, 2008<BR/>By Rich Lord, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette<BR/><BR/>Pittsburgh City Council today broadened proposed new campaign donation rules, then decided to think through the details before taking the first of two votes on the expanding package of reforms.<BR/><BR/>Councilman Ricky Burgess introduced an amendment to require that candidates disclose any contributors who have done business with the city or its authorities in the past five years, or have relatives who have done business with those entities.<BR/><BR/>"What we're trying to get at is the appearance -- real or perceived -- of quid pro quo relationships," said Mr. Burgess. He said full disclosure of contributors' interests in city business would "take the politics of contributions out of the system."<BR/><BR/>Council President Doug Shields said he doesn't "want to create an SAT test for a candidate to get into office," or create so much paperwork that no one wants to run. But he backed the amendment, with the understanding that the language will be reworked before passage.<BR/><BR/>The amendment passed 6-1, with Jim Motznik voting no and Dan Deasy and Tonya Payne out of the room. Council then voted unanimously to wait two weeks before voting on the entire ordinance.<BR/><BR/>The legislation, authored by Councilman William Peduto, would place the same contribution limits on candidates for city office that now apply to federal candidates. They would be able to accept $2,300 from any individual or partnership, and $5,000 from any political action committee, leading to a primary election, general election or special election.<BR/><BR/>The limits would take effect in 2010. A searchable online database of contributors might take effect earlier.<BR/><BR/>"I would like to see campaign finance reform done at the state level, because it puts it on an equitable playing field," said Mayor Luke Ravenstahl. "But we'll take a look at it, and I think Pittsburgh needs to lead by example. We have to do something, and I look forward to having a conversation with council to decide what that might be."<BR/><BR/>Mr. Ravenstahl, Mr. Peduto, and other council members have received five-figure campaign donations in past races.<BR/><BR/>First published on April 24, 2008 at 4:20 pmAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com