Clearly, in Long Beach, those who are connected to the City Hall Machine have all the marbles in their bowl. The usual sources, like the Police Officers’ Association, the Unions, and all those beholden to the city for their salaries line up to fill the Independent Expenditure Campaign Committees bank accounts. The endorsements roll out like clockwork, and the Machine works its magic to create the perfect “shill” who will not rock the boat, or alter any of the “sweetheart deals” which are bankrupting our City.
One of the most important things we can do is campaign finance reform.
I would like to list some ideas:
1.) De-weaponize the City Council Office Holder Accounts. (return these accounts to their original purpose, to assist in the infrastructure and community of the districts) Stop using those funds to enrich the City Council Person’s campaigns, and end the unethical giving of said funds to other
City Council Members for their campaigns.
2.) Limit the absolute amount from donors and from IEs, Independent Expenditure Committees to a combined amount of $25,000.00. This would even the playing field for all our citizens to have a chance to serve our people in the City Council, and all other elected positions.
3.) Make it illegal to give more than $1000.00 in an IE to any candidate.
4.) Reject the proposal to increase donation limits by individuals, as recently suggested by CD1 Councilperson Mary Zendejas
5.) Make it a felony for Council Offices, the Mayor’s Office or any other elected’s office to give the phone numbers, or email addresses to any candidate they support or otherwise. These should always be private as people expect confidentiality. This “sharing” also poses an unequal advantage to those candidates who are the recipients of such vital information. (Cindy Allen has received the phone numbers and emails addresses from our current electeds)
6.) Specify and list contributors to Independent expenditure campaigns on any sign, advertisement or flier, etc they put out, so people know who is behind this campaign.
As a side note, we need to change the law to make officeholder accounts only for the benefit of the District and for no other purpose.