An ethics reform proposal advanced in the San Diego City Council Wednesday, with staff directed to begin drawing the package.
The San Diego City Council voted unanimously for Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera’s “Follow the Money” ordinance, which is intended to increase transparency on lobbying efforts that could influence City Hall decisions.
Current disclosure rules “do not fully capture modern influence campaigns, including paid mailers, texts, digital ads, mass communications, and other outside spending designed to shape public opinion and pressure elected officials on city decisions,” Elo-Rivera’s office said in a statement.
Under the proposal, groups or individuals spending $1,000 or more to influence a municipal decision would be required to file a disclosure report with the San Diego City Clerk within 24 hours.
Currently, the disclosure report is required for expenditures of $5,000 or more.
The proposal would prohibit elected city officeholders and candidates for city office from accepting campaign contributions from registered lobbyists.
The ordinance would also require covered communications to identify top funders and disclose when AI is used to make materials.
Elo-Rivera said local government “should work for every San Diegan,” not just those with money. While the influence of money in politics has been around for decades, the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United v. FEC ruling made the situation worse, he added.
“We have to look at role of money in all of our politics,” he said. “People already believe the game is rigged, because it is…. The powerful lobbyists paid to work City Hall shouldn’t be funding the campaigns of the very officials they’re lobbying,” Elo-Rivera said.
“The county banned that. The state banned that. It’s time San Diego did too.”
The proposed ordinance now moves to the full City Council for review and consideration.
City News Service contributed to this report.
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