Campaign Contributions from City Vendors?
City Council members stand in a position of public trust, exercising oversight over city contracts and expenditures, and should do so without conflicts of interest. While California law will soon prohibit local elected officials from making decisions that affect campaign contributors, right now it's on the honor system. How does Mission Viejo fare? Every current council member has accepted campaign contributions from at least one major city vendor. (See related coverage regarding the City's "F" Grade for Campaign Finance Transparency).
One example of this practice is West Coast Arborists, a company who holds a multi-million dollar contract for tree maintenance in Mission Viejo. Since 2018, Wendy Bucknum, Brian Goodell, Ed Sachs, Greg Raths and Trish Kelley, have accepted thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from West Coast Arborists, a sample of which is compiled below.
These 5 council members have been directly responsible for awarding lucrative city contracts and approving amendments and overages; these are just some of the agenda items (most on the consent calendar) approved unanimously by the city council:
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Campaign Finance Law Changes Are Coming in 2023
State law will drastically change campaign finances in Mission Viejo starting in 2023. On September 29, 2022, Governor Newsom signed SB 1439, which requires the recusal of local elected officials who received campaign contributions in excess of $250 from parties appearing before them. This includes any company who has a contract, a permit, or other entitlement with the city. The bill was signed to eliminate the pay-to-play scheme that often occurs in local city council contracts.
This new law will affect many other companies doing business in Mission Viejo. City Council members have received campaign contributions from companies as varied as Waste Management (who has the contract for trash service), to Townsend Public Affairs (a lobbying firm that the city uses for lobbying efforts in Sacramento). The list of companies who contribute more than $250 to council members and have business with the city is extensive. Going forward, it will be important for individuals, companies, and other entities doing business with elected bodies in the city to ensure that they are complying with the law’s requirements and are monitoring their activities and the activities of their principals, employees and agents for compliance.