Alameda Getting Eaten by PAC Man?

After June 1 lengthy City Council meeting, little was done to improve the Campaign Finance Reform ordinance. The biggest change seen was the Council’s decision to leave the requirement that states that anyone contracted by the City or in negotiations to contract with the City would be prohibited from making a contribution to any candidate for Alameda public office.

Seems like a great idea and of course it’s not too big of an issue since Alameda is largely contracted out to non-Alameda companies. But they forgot to close one large loophole.

A contractor or a potential contractor with the City wants to give money to a candidate? Sure, send it on through a PAC.

Since the ordinance doesn’t cap a limitation on overall expenditures, it causes independent groups to spend on BEHALF of a candidate instead of direct spending by the candidate. So now, a company can just send money to the PAC who in turn does some sort of service, such as creating info packets or providing staff, in support of the intended candidate.

Tracking funds sent through PAC is doable, but it decreases the ease of access to records. The time spent searching through records of whoever received money would be tedious and discouraging. The ease of transparency is lost through this and creates more frustration.

Where is the reform that we have asked for? I’m tired of these campaign finance issues going unresolved.