TEXT:

WHEREAS, the Washington State Legislature approved and the Governor has signed Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill (E2SSB) 5278, allowing local jurisdictions to establish programs to publicly finance campaigns; and

WHEREAS, the City of Seattle established a system for partial public financing for election campaigns in 1978; and

WHEREAS, the Fair Campaign Practices Act enacted following the passage of Initiative 134 in 1992 prohibited the use of public funds to finance state and local political campaigns; and

WHEREAS, recent information from the Seattle Ethics and Elections Office shows that the total number of contributors to local campaigns has declined by 37% since 2003 while the number of contributions under $100 has declined by 56% in that same time period; and

WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Council have expressed support for examining and potentially reinstating a local public financing system for election campaigns; and

WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Council welcome the input of a diverse group of individuals and organizations with expertise and interest in promoting fair and equitable election campaigns and removing barriers to the democratic process;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE, THE MAYOR CONCURRING, THAT:

Section 1. The Campaign Public Financing Advisory Committee shall consist of nine (9) members. The composition of the committee shall be comprised of the following numbered positions: (1) chair of the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission; (2) former elected official; (3) representative of the Seattle League of Women Voters; (4) representative of the Seattle-King County Municipal League; (5) member of the Washington Public Campaigns organization; (6) person with legal expertise in elections law; (7) person with an academic background in campaigns and elections financing; (8) and (9) persons at-large from the community. A tenth member shall be named as an alternate to serve on the committee, in any of the numbered positions, in the event that any member should resign or be unable to serve.

Members shall be jointly appointed by the Mayor and City Council and initially identified as shown in attachment A to this resolution. The chair of the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission shall chair the advisory committee.

Section 2. The committee shall develop a recommendation for a proposed model for publicly financing local election campaigns in Seattle. The committee, at a minimum, should examine the following as part of its review:

A. Rationale and purpose of publicly financing election campaigns;
B. Models from other jurisdictions;
C. The relative effectiveness of programs from other jurisdictions in meeting the stated intent and purpose for public financing;
D. Seattle’s previous public campaign financing program;
E. Election campaign contribution data from previous local elections in Seattle;
F. Criteria for candidates to qualify for public election campaign funds;
G. Potential program and administrative costs and funding sources; and
H. Timeline for implementation.

Section 3. Should any member in a numbered position resign or otherwise be unable to serve, the alternate shall replace that member. If there are further resignations or members that are unable to serve, or if the alternate position becomes vacant, a replacement may be appointed subject to agreement by the Mayor and City Council.

Section 4. The committee will be staffed by the Seattle Ethics and Elections Office. Representatives from the City Attorney’s Office, the Mayor’s Office, the Department of Finance and the Council’s Central Staff are anticipated to assist and provide input in facilitating the work of the committee.

Section 5. The Mayor and City Council anticipate a final report from the committee will be submitted to the City no later than June 12, 2008. Once the final report is submitted, the advisory
committee shall be dissolved.

Section 6. Resolution 31052 is hereby superseded.

Adopted by the City Council the ____ day of ____________________,
2008, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its adoption this________ day of ______________________, 2008.

_________________________________
President ___________of the City Council

THE MAYOR CONCURRING:

_________________________________
Gregory J. Nickels, Mayor

Filed by me this ____ day of ________________________, 2008.
____________________________________
City Clerk

(Seal)

Attachment A: Seattle Campaign Public Financing Advisory Committee Members
Michael Fong
Campaign Public Financing Advisory Committee - Supersede 31052 5/08/2008

Version #2
Form last revised on 12/31/07 1
Attachment A: Seattle Campaign Public Financing Advisory Committee Members
1) Michele Radosevich, chair of the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission;
2) Bruce Laing, former elected official;
3) Allison Feher, representative of the Seattle League of Women Voters;
4) Ramsey Ramerman, Representative of the Seattle-King County Municipal League;
5) Craig Salins, Member of the Washington Public Campaigns organization;
6) Robert (Bob) L. Mahon, person with legal expertise in elections law;
7) Professor Joaquin G. Avila, person with an academic background in campaigns and elections financing;
8) Rob Holland, at-large member from the community;
9) George Cheung, at-large member from the community; and
10) Sherry Collier, Alternate