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An ordinance of the County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, amending and supplementing the Allegheny County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 220, entitled “Campaign Finance Regulations,” through the creation of new Sections 220-7 through 220-9 in order to regulate certain forms of expenditures coordinated between Candidates and/or Candidate Committees and other entities.
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Whereas, the right of candidates to campaign necessarily entails the need to finance such campaigns; and
Whereas, while the Allegheny County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 220 (as recently amended), does contain provisions relating to campaign finance limitations, reports and statements, it does not address potential issues arising from expenditures coordinated between candidates and/or candidate committees and other entities; and
Whereas, other jurisdictions within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, perhaps most notably the City of Philadelphia, have taken steps to address these deficiencies in their campaign finance regulations; and
Whereas, it is the considered opinion of Council that certain forms of coordinated expenditures constitute clear and obvious paths to circumvention of the County’s recently-enacted campaign contribution limitations; and
Whereas, increasing numbers of jurisdictions within Pennsylvania, including both the City of Pittsburgh and the City of Philadelphia, have begun regulating coordinated expenditures to render their campaign finance regulations more transparent and consistent; and
Whereas, it is accordingly the judgment of Council that the County owes its residents, taxpayers, voters, and candidates meaningful regulation of expenditures coordinated between candidates for County elected office and/or their candidate committees and other entities;
The Council of the County of Allegheny hereby enacts as follows:
SECTION 1. Incorporation of the Preamble
The provisions of the preamble to this Ordinance are hereby incorporated in their entirety by r...
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