A Tempe City Council working group will hold a public meeting next week to inform community members and collect feedback about a proposed system for publicly financed city elections.
The meeting will take place Monday, Aug. 24, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., at the Tempe Public Library’s lower level meeting room, 3500 S. Rural Road. In addition, public input will be taken online at www.tempe.gov/tempeforum.
Under the proposed program, known as Tempe Clean and Transparent Campaigns (TCTC), a fee would be added to city civil and criminal citations in order to pay for the City Council campaigns of qualifying candidates who do not want to conduct traditional fundraising activities. The program is modeled on the Arizona Clean Elections system.
Councilmembers David Schapira, Lauren Kuby and Kolby Granville, have developed the idea since February as part of a City Manager’s working group. The working group will bring additional proposals to the City Council in September. If the City Council decides in the coming weeks to refer it to the March 8 Primary Election ballot, Tempe voters would decide whether to modify the City Charter to allow for the system.
Prior to the election, the City Council would pass an ordinance detailing specifics of the system, contingent upon voter approval of the program. Draft specifics include:
• City Council candidates who opt-in and meet the requirements of the TCTC would receive $25,000 per primary and general election for defined expenses for running for office. Candidates for Mayor would receive $50,000 per primary and general election. Candidates who do not want to participate in the program can still conduct traditional fundraising activities.
• An Independent Oversight Committee of registered Tempe voters would be charged with making decisions to run the program and enforcing violations.
More information about the draft program can be found in the materials prepared for the City Council’s discussion on the matter earlier this month (Item 3A1): http://1.usa.gov/1Ks6kV9.