COUNTY PROVISION AIMED AT LOCKYER’S HIGH-FINANCED RUN FOR SUPERVISOR
By Steven Tavares
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| Scott Haggerty |
It may be the first indication that life on the Alameda County Board of Supervisors for Nadia Lockyer will not be rainbows and unicorns. County Supervisor Scott Haggerty today introduced an ordinance hoping to enact campaign finance reform for all elected county offices. The board unanimously approved the first reading of the ordinance, 5-0. Its passage could come as early as next week.
“It is important to allow everyone the right to participate and support the candidate of their choice which I believe this ordinance does,” Haggerty wrote in a memo to the county supervisors. “It also attempts to prevent a person or committee from having undue influence in a County election.”
The provision is, without a doubt, pointed towards today’s District 2 election, which features nearly $2 million in fundraising dollars by the favorite, Nadia Lockyer, by way of her husband, Bill Lockyer’s campaign for re-election as state treasurer. There is currently no rules or limits on campaign fundraising for county office.
The proposal was introduced by Haggerty during today’s board of supervisors meeting in Oakland and timed to influence voters as they chose between Lockyer and former state Sen. Liz Figueroa. Many believe the race has tightened up during the past month, led in part, to growing disenchantment with the unheard of amount of fundraising flowing towards Lockyer’s campaign. In contrast, Figueroa has raised a total of over $90,000 during the entire campaign. Lockyer pulled in another $110,000 in late contributions just last week from her husband’s campaign coffers. The large transfers of funds led the current holder of the seat, Gail Steele, to endorse Figueroa, in addition to noted Hayward activist Sherman Lewis sharply criticizing the Lockyers and their alleged excessive use of political and financial firepower on the area.
The proposal would set a limit of $20,000 in contributions per election by controlled committees, a person or entity. It also specifically limits transfers from political campaigns to the same amount. The provision, though, would not limit the use of personal funds. While the impetus for the proposal stems from Lockyer’s campaign haul, it is no secret the proposal will also inure one of the current board members from one day losing their seat to a well-connected challenger.
ebcitizen.com 
Scott is just covering his own rear, against
a future opponent that has money or connections.
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There needs to be a county ordinance prohibiting the placement of campaign signs on abandon & private commercial property.
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This won't last long. The Supremes have already said it is OK for business to buy their own campaigns. The Unions are not going to like this too much. Mel
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Way way too late! Hopefully the voters will have sent the Lockyers packing though!
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As I mentioned on our show, Liz Figueroa would support such a thing if on the B.O.S., asked her about this long before Lockyer reached the $2mil mark and Haggerty endorsed Lockyer.
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