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Mayor Torrey opened the public hearing. <br /> <br />Terry Connolly, Eugene Chamber of Commerce, urged extreme caution by the council regarding <br />the resolution. He said the council was "walking a slippery slope" by involving the City in City <br />Council and mayoral campaigns with the determining factor being based on how candidates and <br />their supporters chose to exercise their constitutional right to free speech. <br /> <br />Mr. Connolly said that the way the resolution was written, if a candidate chose not to participate in <br />voluntary limits, the City, at the taxpayer expense, would then give preferential treatment to those <br />who did participate. <br /> <br />Mr. Connolly said that publishing names of those candidates who participated in voluntary limits in <br />the Voter's Pamphlet and local newspapers amounted to an in-kind contribution to those <br />candidates. He went on to say that even listing all names and noting those who participated was <br />an implied judgement. <br /> <br />Mr. Connolly said the Oregon Supreme Court had ruled that campaign contributions in the State of <br />Oregon were an exercise in free speech. He added that the council had acted too quickly on the <br />issue and stressed the need for more thought and discussion. <br /> <br />George Beres, 1990 Dogwood Street, said that the need for campaign finance reform went far <br />beyond what was being proposed by the City Council. He opined that the current system was <br />scandalous and expressed his support for the resolution but raised concern over depending on <br />voluntary limits. <br /> <br />Mr. Beres urged the council to further explore how true campaign finance reform might be <br />initiated. He said that voluntary limits were a bandage for a problem that required major surgery. <br /> <br />Linda Fuller, 2401 West 22nd Avenue, complimented the council on taking a critical step toward <br />campaign finance reform. She opined that the voluntary limits should be made mandatory and <br />commented that the $60,000 limit for mayoral races was too high. She raised concern that there <br />was an inequity between wealthy and non-wealthy candidates. <br /> <br />Alissa Manske, 412 Heritage Oaks Drive, commented that the $60,000 limit on mayoral <br />campaigns was to high. <br /> <br />John Herberg, 395 East 30th Avenue, said that the resolution was not enough but acknowledged <br />that it was a step in the right direction. He commented that the voluntary limit of $75 per <br />contribution for council races was too Iow and suggested $100. He went on to say that the <br />$60,000 voluntary limit for mayoral races was too high and added that the limit for donations to a <br />mayoral candidate was too high as well. He urged the council to consider a limit on political <br />action committee spending in campaigns. <br /> <br />Matthew Donahue, 599 Coburg Road, said there was a real need for campaign finance reform in <br />Eugene. He opined that potential candidates were being eliminated because of a lack of special <br />interest support and said that the proposed resolution was a good first step toward addressing <br />that problem. He urged passage of the resolution. <br /> <br /> MINUTES--Eugene City Council February 25, 2002 Page 3 <br /> Regular Session <br /> <br /> <br />