Supervisors Act to Cut Rich Candidates’ Edge

Hoping to lessen the role that personal wealth plays in politics, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday lifted the county’s $250-per-person contribution limit for candidates whose opponents spend more than $25,000 of their own money--despite concerns by the district attorney’s office that the action is unconstitutional.

Proposed by Supervisor John MacDonald, the measure, approved unanimously, also would require candidates who intend to spend more than $25,000 of their own money in their campaign to make the personal loan public at least 15 days prior to the election.

MacDonald had originally proposed that the new election law apply only to candidates who spend more than $50,000 of their own money, but agreed to halve that figure when Supervisor Leon Williams complained that it was too high and would allow candidates to spend “$49,999 and never be accountable.”

The provision lifting the $250-per-person contribution limit for candidates whose opponents underwrite their campaigns with more than $25,000 of their own money would, MacDonald argues, give “a little better break” to candidates running against wealthy opponents.

Officials in the district attorney’s office, however, have questioned the legality of the measure, saying that it could be construed as an unfair “penalty” on wealthy candidates that infringes on their First Amendment rights.

Although a court challenge of the new measure seems likely, the supervisors suggested Tuesday that the City of San Diego and other local cities consider adopting similar laws so that there is uniformity among local campaign laws.