Unlimited candidate fundraising, spending to end

BY SANDRA FISH AND JESSE PAUL THE COLORADO SUN

is year could be the last of unlimited fundraising and spending by candidates in municipal elections if a bill approved last week by the House also passes the Senate and is signed into law by Gov. Jared Polis. House Bill 1245 would limit individual donations to municipal candidates to $400, while small-donor committees would be able give up to $4,000. e measure originally limited contributions to $250 and $2,500 and banned political parties from contributing directly to candidates in municipal elections, which are supposed to be nonpartisan, but was amended to increase the amounts and removed that prohibition. e limits in the latest version of the bill are close to what statehouse candidates may accept — their maximum went up to $450 this year because of in ation. But they are considerably lower than the $2,500 maximum school board members may accept from individual donors and political parties under a bill passed last year.

“ is bill will go a long way in ensuring that wealthy donors, special interests and everyday people all have the same level of in uence on municipal elections,” said Rep. Jenny Willford, a Northglenn Democrat and lead sponsor of the bill. House Bill 1245 would apply to any city that isn’t a home-rule municipality with donation limits already in law, according to Rep. Jennifer Parenti, an Erie Democrat and another lead sponsor of the bill. A home-rule city with higher campaign donation limits in lawwouldn’t have to lower their amounts if the bill passes.

For instance, two of Colorado’s biggest home-rule cities, Denver and Aurora, already have such rules. In Denver this year, candidates may accept up to $500 from an individual if they participate in the city’s Fair Elections Fund that matches small contributions and $1,000 if they don’t. In Aurora, at-large council and mayoral candidates may accept up to $1,000 per donor, although council candidates running to represent individual wards may only take $400. e new municipal limits, if approved by the legislature, would be quite a change for some cities.

A woman puts a ballot in a drop o box

Colorado Springs, for instance, has no campaign donation limits for municipal races. Some mayoral candidates in the city this year received donations in the tens — or even hundreds — of thousands of dollars from individuals or political action committees.

One example: Colorado Springs e bill also requires more transparency around municipal campaign nance reports by setting new reporting deadlines in state law and mandating that lings be open to public inspection. Candidates and clerks in municipalities with populations of fewer than 10,000 would have fewer requirements. e city of Colorado Springs, the Colorado Municipal League and the Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado are lobbying against the bill. e bill passed the House last Tuesday on a 48-12, mostly partyline vote with ve representatives excused. It hasn’t been scheduled for a committee hearing in the Senate yet. e lead sponsors of the bill in the Senate are Democratic Sens. Kevin Priola and Robert Rodriguez. If the legislation passes, it would take effect on Jan. 1, 2024. is story is from e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support e Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com. e Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media. value of installation, custom installation charges, equipment upgrades/add-ons, and certain other add’l fees & chrgs. See directv.com/directv-fees/ for additional information. $10/MO. AUTOPAY AND PAPERLESS BILL DISCOUNT: Must enroll in autopay & paperless bill within 30 days of TV activation to receive bill credit starting in 1-3 bill cycles (pay $10 more/mo. until discount begins). Must maintain autopay/paperless bill and valid email address to continue credits. DIRECTV SVC TERMS: Subject to Equipment Lease & Customer Agreements. All o ers, packages, programming, promotions, features, terms, restrictions and conditions and all prices and fees not included in price guarantee are subject to change without notice. Package, Advanced Receiver Service Fee, Regional Sports Fee (varies by zip code) and equipment fees for TV connections are included in two-year price guarantee. Taxes, surcharges, add-on programming (including premium channels), protection plan, transactional fees, and Federal Cost Recovery Fee are not included in two-year price guarantee. Some o ers may not be available through all channels and in select areas. Di erent o ers may apply for eligible multi-dwelling unit. Visit directv.com/legal/ or call for details. Access HBO Max through HBO Max app or hbomax.com with your DIRECTV log-in credentials. Visit directv.com to verify/create your account. Use of HBO Max is subject to its own terms and conditions, see hbomax.com/terms-of-use for details. Programming and content subj. to change. Requires account to stay in good standing. Upon cancellation of your video service you may lose access to HBO Max.

Forward PAC donated $250,000 to City Councilman Wayne Williams’ campaign in February.

“ is bill wasn’t written with input from municipal clerks and, as a result, it places additional and unnecessary burdens on small town clerks, many of whom are already overburdened as is,” said Heather Stau er, legislative advocacy manager for the Colorado Municipal League.

Willford said she amended the bill in the House to try to address the Colorado Municipal League’s concerns.

Colorado Common Cause and the League of Women Voters of Colorado are lobbying in support of the measure.