City Council OKs new campaign fundraising rules

Limits effectively doubled after terms extended

City Council approved changes to Houston’s campaign finance law Wednesday with no discussion, effectively doubling contribution limits per general election cycle and boosting the amount many candidates can reimburse themselves for personal loans.

The revisions, which go into effect Friday, are meant to clarify rules left unclear after the court struck down the city’s fundraising blackout last year and voters extended terms to four years from two years.

Rather than collecting a maximum of $5,000 from individuals and $10,000 from political action committees per twoyear election cycle, candidates will be allowed to raise that much during the first two years of their term, and then do so again during the second two years. The contribution cycle would reset if the candidate were forced into a runoff.

The new rules also permit council and controller candidates to repay themselves tens of thousands of dollars more for personal loans they make to their campaigns.

Mayor Sylvester Turner reiterated during a news conference Wednesday that the changes are intended to reconcile the old two-year fundraising cycle with the current four-year cycle, though some viewed the modifications as a boon to incumbents and

wealthy candidates.

“That was just an attempt to try to just mirror what has been the case and simply just adapt it to a four-year term,” Turner said.

Turner also expressed doubt that the new reimbursement rules benefit affluent office seekers over others.

District council candidates will be able to recover $50,000 in personal loans under the new rules, up from $5,000. Those running for controller or an atlarge council post will be able to recoup $75,000, up from $15,000. The $75,000 personal reimbursement ceiling for mayoral candidates remains the same.

Turner said he believes the reimbursement rules apply from the 2015 election cycle onward.

City Council members Jack Christie and Amanda Edwards, chairman and vice chairwoman of council’s budget and fiscal affairs committee, voted against the changes.

“We should appreciate the voters giving us a full four-year term, and I just don’t think that we need to double our campaign contributions,” Christie said.

Edwards did not return a request for comment.