Danville Council Votes For No Limit To Campaign Contributions

DANVILLE, CA — The Danville Town Council passed an ordinance Tuesday establishing a lack of campaign contribution limits.

The law was passed in response to California Assembly Bill 571, a 2021 bill establishing $4900 campaign contribution limits for candidates in local races where local limits are not already in place.

Danville has never had local campaign spending limits and was preparing to align local elections to the new law, city attorney Rob Ewing said Tuesday when introducing the ordinance. However, a town staff member found a provision in the new law allowing municipalities to avoid limits by passing an ordinance specifying a lack of limits.

The ordinance is short and to the point: “There shall be no limit on monetary contributions from a person or campaign committee to a candidate for Town Council.”

A town staff report argued that new provisions would “substantially increase paperwork and filing requirements for council candidates and, by default, the City Clerk.”

Candidates will still need to file disclosure forms to the city clerk detailing the amount and source of all contributions. Certain AB 571 rules still apply, like the requirement to close campaign account after the election, and what to do with leftover money.

The item was passed unanimously and without public comment.

—Bay City News contributed to this report.