July 25, 2006

Pasadena City Council to place measure on ballot

"The City Council agreed Monday to place an initiative on the November ballot to amend an anti-corruption law passed by voters five years ago.

However, the council failed to muster the five votes needed to add a provision that would have placed limits on campaign contributions in local races.

Councilman Chris Holden, who is believed to be eyeing the mayor's seat in 2007, led the effort to kill the contribution limits.

Holden has said in the past that the caps would unfairly hinder candidates from poorer parts of town who often need the support of large organized groups, such as labor unions, to raise the money needed to wage a credible citywide campaign.

The provision died on a 4-4 vote.

The remainder of the ballot initiative was approved 6-2, with Holden and Councilman Paul Little dissenting.

The initiative would rewrite Measure B, which was passed by 60 percent of the voters in 2001.

Council members have long argued the measure is unconstitutional and tried unsuccessfully to have it thrown out by a court. Failing that, they decided to form a task force, led by former California Attorney General John Van de Kamp, to amend the law."

The story is here.

Posted by Randy Riddle at July 25, 2006 10:02 AM