Council to vote on campaign contribution limits

The Huntington Beach City Council will vote Monday on whether to raise the $300 campaign contribution limit for candidates for city offices. The limit could stay where it is, rise to $420, be eliminated altogether, or change to some compromise figure.

Councilman Don Hansen originally proposed raising the limit to $500 last year, citing increased costs of campaigning, but the proposal was pushed back until a comprehensive look at city campaign law was finished.

A split council at a recent study session had no consensus on the issue, and opinions diverged widely. As a result, council members told city staff to prepare multiple options to vote on: leaving the limit as is; raising it to $410 and indexing it to the cost of 1,000 stamps; eliminating the limit because the state doesn’t have one for local offices; or copying the $3,000 limit for state offices. In addition, council members will have the chance to consider letting the limit rise regularly according to the Consumer Price Index.

The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday at City Hall, 2000 Main St.