Great news! The El Paso City Council has just approved a campaign finance ordinance to make political contributions more transparent. This means we'll have a clearer picture of who's giving money to our city representatives and how often those donors have matters before the council.The ordinance passed with a vote of 6-2 on Tuesday, December 12. Representatives Cassandra Hernandez and Joe Molinar were the two votes against it.
In addition to promoting transparency, the new ordinance gives the Ethics Review Commission more power to oversee candidates, political committees, contributors, and donors.
So, what exactly does this ordinance involve? Here's a breakdown:
- Council members are now required to disclose both verbally and in writing any contributions over $500 that they receive during their term or campaign. This disclosure must happen at the same time as any agenda item related to a contributor or donor.
- Contributors and donors must disclose any contributions or donations they make to a current council member whenever there's an agenda item concerning them.
- Council members have to provide an annual report that discloses all contributions and donations they receive.
This campaign finance ordinance is a big step forward in promoting transparency and accountability in our local politics. If you want to learn more, check out the full article here:
