Campaign finance reform proposal on hold

KINGSTON, N.Y. » The Laws and Rules Committee of the Ulster County Legislature has postponed a vote on scheduling a public hearing regarding proposed campaign finance regulations for the county’s elected officials.

The regulations, proposed by County Executive Michael Hein, were discussed briefly during a meeting Monday. Committee members said they wanted more time to review the proposal and make changes.

“I think I want to amend it,” said Legislator Richard Parete, R-Accord. “I want to make more changes to it.”

Officials covered by the law would be the county executive, county clerk, district attorney, sheriff, comptroller and legislators.

For all except legislators, the proposal calls for a $5,000 limit per election cycle on campaign contributions from an individual, partnership, political committee, labor organization or “other entity.” The limit for legislators would be $500 per cycle.

The limits would be reduced to $1,000 for the elected office holders and $250 for legislators from anyone who has “business dealings” with the county, the proposal states.

Candidates would have the option of receiving public campaign financing for general elections of up to $23,000 for individual offices and $1,000 for Legislature seats. The amounts provided would be based on a dollar-for-dollar match of private contributions.

The proposed law calls for a Commission on Public Finance to be created to review campaign contributions.

The law would prohibit campaign contributions from being used to pay for living expenses for a candidate or their family, residential or household items, clothing or personal grooming, vehicle purchases, tuition payments, child care costs, dues or fees to a club, and admission to a sporting event or theater.

Penalties for violating the campaign finance law would be a fine of up to $1,000 and a charge of 10 percent of the public funds received by a candidate.