Contact:
John St. Croix
(415) 252-3100
For release: February 11, 2010
SF Ethics Commission Certifies a Candidate for the Board of Supervisors in District 10 as Eligible to Receive Public Funds
On February 11, 2010, the Ethics Commission certified Malia Cohen, candidate for the Board of Supervisors, District 10, as eligible to receive public funds from the San Francisco Election Campaign Fund. Based on the declaration and supporting documentation that Ms. Cohen submitted on February 2, 2010, the Commission determined that she received qualifying contributions totaling $5,000 from at least 75 residents of the City, thus making her eligible to receive public funds. Ms. Cohen will receive an initial public grant of $10,000.
Candidates who seek public funds must agree to abide by an individual expenditure ceiling, which begins at $143,000 for Board of Supervisors races. Candidates who are certified to receive public funds may receive up to $89,000 in funds, depending upon the amount of matching contributions they raise from San Francisco residents. If the Commission determines to raise the individual expenditure ceiling of Ms. Cohen, she may be eligible to receive funds in excess of $89,000, depending on the amount of funds available in the Election Campaign Fund, the number of candidates seeking public financing, and the amount of matching contributions she raises.
The certification of a candidate as eligible to receive public funds in District 10 triggers reporting requirements under section 1.152(a) of the Campaign Finance Reform Ordinance (S.F. Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code § 1.100 et seq.). Under section 1.152(a)(2), each candidate for the Board of Supervisors in District 10 must file Form SFEC-152(a)-2 with the Ethics Commission within 24 hours of receiving contributions, or making expenditures that equal or exceed $100,000. Thereafter, the candidate must file an additional supplemental statement within 24 hours of every time the candidate receives additional contributions, or makes additional expenditures that in the aggregate equal or exceed $10,000.
Under section 1.152(a)(3), any person (individual, partnership, corporation, association, firm, committee, club, or other organization or group of persons, however organized) who makes independent expenditures, electioneering communications or member communications that clearly identify a candidate for the Board of Supervisors in District 10 in an amount that in the aggregate equals or exceeds $5,000 must, within 24 hours of reaching the spending threshold, file Form SFEC-152(a)-3 and an original copy of the communication with the Ethics Commission. Thereafter, any such person must file a supplemental statement and an original copy of the communication each time that the person makes or incurs an additional expense of $5,000 or more. The costs of a communication that supports or opposes more than one candidate or measure must be apportioned among each candidate and measure in the communication.
The Ethics Commission, established in November 1993, serves the public, City employees and officials and candidates for public office through education and enforcement of ethics laws. Its duties include: filing and auditing of campaign finance disclosure statements, lobbyist and campaign consultant registration and regulation, administration of the public financing program, conflict of interests reporting, investigations and enforcement, education and training, advice giving and statistical reporting.