Tuesday is Dues-day: Campaign Rules

Tuesday is Dues-day. The dues are simply schooling yourself on how our local governance is organized, who are the players, what are the screw-ups, where is the money and what things get reported?
You’re a citizen, an advocate for democracy with this first step, paying attention.

Rules and processes are Kristin Gaspar's and Jerome Stocks governance priorities du jour, see recent video clip.  There is of course truth behind the rigid proclamations to justify lack of humanity.  The truth is, a fair election demands disclosure, accountability and oversight.

In fact, this is the number one threat in our own community elections.  We who were paying attention at the last election watched big money being spent illegally in the campaigns of Kristin Gaspar, It took months after the election, but at least one person with the Voter Education Group found guilty of crimes. Steep fines were also placed on the Voter Education Group.  Leucadia blog  covered this along with news publications.

"Yesterday the UT reported:

Kinde Durkee was arrested Friday at Durkee and Associates in Burbank and charged with one count of mail fraud, said Lauren Horwood. The arrest was first reported by The Orange County Register.

In 2010, Voter Education Group, a slate-mailer managed by Durkee and Associates, was fined more than $110,000 by the FPPC for various reporting violations. One of the mailers endorsed Encinitas council candidates Kristin Gaspar and Dan Dalager while taking aim at Teresa Barth."

Citizen tip = Start with this exposure of what went on in 2010. The few who protested were labeled whiners and dismissed by many. Gaspar is now the deputy mayor of our town with a plan to anoint herself mayor for two years with her hand selected deputy.  Big money and a disinterested public has paid off in Encinitas for more than a decade. Accountability has been left to a few taking on court cases or litigation threats. But a populace aware of the campaign rules is armed with a larger voice to cry foul from the rooftops at the first signs of ethical foul play and roust even the most self-involved.  Big money can't compete with a vigilant town population demanding rules be followed by all the candidates.

FPPC is the Fair Political Practices for California, the state authority on campaign rules and processes.  Campaign funding is a fact of life.  Step 2 is to donate as much as you can to your chosen candidates. The limit is $250 per person. Arm ethical candidates with enough funding to do what is needed to win an election.

1. City's election information  There is more to this one page entry, but sadly, though most fundamental, there are local news people who don't know the basics that follow. 

CITY OF ENCINITAS MUNICIPAL ELECTION

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012

Candidate Filing Period:

The candidate filing period begins on July 16th with a deadline of August 10th at 5:00 P.M.. This deadline may be extended to August 15th at 5:00 P.M. (for non-incumbents) if one of the incumbents decides to not run again. Papers are issued by the City Clerk during the filing period.

Campaign Forms Required:

If a candidate plans to receive campaign contributions, the State requires that campaign forms be filed prior to accepting contributions. In addition, if contributions (Encinitas limit is $250 maximum from a single entity) reaches $1,000, the State also requires that candidates form a campaign committee.

Offices to be Filled by Election:

Three City Council Member positions. (Stocks, Bond & Muir)

Terms of Office:

The three candidates receiving the highest number of votes will serve four (4) year terms.

2. The city's campaign policy  A short .pdf file, quick read with one of the most frequently asked questions, what about campaign signs? 

An unlimited number of political signs is allowed per parcel with the property owners permssion. Signs may be displayed 30 days prior to the election and must be removed 72 hours after the election. The sign area shall not exceed 32 square feet for nonresidential zones or 32 square feet for nonresidential uses in residential zones; signs shall not exceed 8 feet in height. The sign area shall not exceed 3 square feet for residential uses in residential zones with a maximum height of 5 feet. (long history of sign violations with council majority campaigns)

3. FPPC Instructions  Form 460 or either a General Purpose Committee or a Primarily Formed Ballot Measure or Candidate Committee Forms & Instructions.
This is the heart and soul of disclosure, the paper trail to follow the money.  Everything must be documented and described within the 460 and other forms within this packet. Here are some of the contribution codes that must appear next to every donation / expense entry.

• IND – Individual 
• COM – Recipient Committee (other than PTY or SCC) 
• OTH – Other (e.g., business entity) 
• PTY – Political Party 
• SCC – Small Contributor Committee

4. Campaign Disclosure Manual   Bookmark this resource or print it out if you intend to form a committee. Or simply scan it for an overview of it all.

How to Use this Manual

California’s Political Reform Act (the “Act”)requires receipts and expenditures in election campaigns to be fully and truthfully disclosed. Since 1974, there have been over 200 amendments to the Act’s campaign disclosure provisions. This manual has been prepared to assist candidates and primarily formed committees to comply with the Act’s numerous and often-detailed rules. It is written in a user friendly” format so that candidates and committees, especially those with small budgets, have a resource guide. It is organized by subject matter and addresses the most common issues of campaign disclosure for local elections.

The arrogance of the Encinitas council majority and big money backers is counting on the voters being apathetic and being ignorant of the the rules and processes.  But money alone just doesn't work when people are engaged and aware they are being sold half-truths and political slogans on top of being asked to trust the untrustworthy.