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§3-703: Eligibility and other requirements
1. To be eligible for optional public financing under this chapter, a candidate for nomination for election or election must:
(b) be a candidate for mayor, public advocate, comptroller, borough president or member of the city council in a primary, special, or general election and meet the threshold for eligibility set forth in subdivision two of this section;
(c) choose to participate in the public funding provisions of this chapter, by filing a written certification in such form as may be prescribed by the campaign finance board, which sets forth his or her acceptance of and agreement to comply with the terms and conditions for the provision of such funds. The deadline for filing such certification shall be:
(i) for a primary and general election, (A) the ninth Monday preceding the primary election, or such other later date as the board shall provide, or (B) the thirtieth day after a special election is held to fill a vacancy for the office sought by the candidate; whichever is later; provided, however, that any candidate who files such written certification prior to such date shall be permitted to rescind such certification in writing on or before such date or prior to the receipt of public funds, whichever occurs first;
(ii) for a special election to fill a vacancy, the fourteenth day after the proclamation of such special election.
(iii) A certification may be filed on or before the seventh day after the occurrence of an extraordinary circumstance in an election, as declared by the campaign finance board, following the receipt and review of a petition submitted by a candidate in such election. For purposes of this paragraph, an "extraordinary circumstance" shall include the death of a candidate in the election, the resignation or removal of the person holding the office sought, and the submission to the board of a written declaration by an officeholder that terminates his or her campaign for reelection;
(d) obtain and furnish to the campaign finance board, and his or her principal committee or authorized committees must obtain and furnish to the board, any information it may request relating to his or her campaign expenditures or contributions and furnish such documentation and other proof of compliance with this chapter as may be requested by such board, provided, however, that the board shall accept such required documentation through an electronically scanned transmission. For contributions submitted in support of a claim for matching funds, the following records shall be maintained by a candidate and his or her principal or authorized committee:
(i) for a contribution by cash, a contribution card containing the contributor’s name and residential address and the amount of the contribution;
(ii) for a contribution by money order, a copy of the money order, provided that a contribution card containing the contributor’s name and residential address shall be required if such information is not printed upon such money order by the issuing institution;
(iii) for a contribution by check, a copy of the check, made out to the principal or authorized committee, provided that a contribution card from the contributor demonstrating an intent to contribute shall be required if such check is signed by a person other than the contributor;
(iv) for a contribution by credit card, text message contribution or other contribution from a payment account, a record from the merchant, processor or vendor containing the contributor’s name, residential address, the amount of the contribution and an indicator showing that the contribution was charged to the contributor’s account and processed. For a contribution by text message, the contributor’s phone number must also be included, as well as the name, residential address and phone number of the registered user of the specific mobile device used to initiate the contribution, to the extent such information may be reasonably obtained under law;
(v) A contribution card shall not be required, except where specified, for contributions pursuant to subparagraphs (ii), (iii), and (iv) of this paragraph. Where a contribution card is required, such card may be completed by the candidate or his or her principal or authorized committee after the contribution has been made, provided that such card is dated, and signed or electronically affirmed by the contributor after such card has been completed by the candidate or his or her principal or authorized committee. Neither the candidate nor his or her principal or authorized committee shall alter or change a signed or affirmed contribution card;
(f) not accept and his or her principal committee, or authorized committees must not accept, either directly or by transfer, any contribution or contributions from any one individual, partnership, political committee, labor organization or other entity for all covered elections held in the same calendar year in which he or she is a participating candidate which in the aggregate: (i) for the office of mayor, public advocate or comptroller shall exceed two thousand dollars, or (ii) for borough president, shall exceed one thousand five hundred dollars, or (iii) for member of the city council, shall exceed one thousand dollars; or a non-participating candidate which in the aggregate: (i) for the office of mayor, public advocate or comptroller shall exceed three thousand five hundred dollars, or (ii) for borough president, shall exceed two thousand five hundred dollars, or (iii) for member of the city council, shall exceed one thousand five hundred dollars; provided that a participating candidate and his or her principal committee or a non-participating candidate and his or her authorized committees may accept additional contributions which do not exceed one half the amount of the applicable limitation for any run-off primary election, additional day for voting held pursuant to section 3-108 of the New York state election law, special election to fill a vacancy, run-off special election to fill a vacancy, delayed or otherwise postponed election, or election held pursuant to court order which is a covered election and in which the candidate seeks nomination for election or election; and provided further that for the purposes of this paragraph, contributions made by different labor organizations shall not be aggregated or treated as contributions from a single contributor for purposes of the contribution limit that is set forth in this paragraph if those labor organizations make contributions from different accounts, maintain separate accounts with different signatories, do not share a majority of members of their governing boards, and do not share a majority of the officers of their governing boards; and provided further that if state law prescribes a contribution limitation of a lesser amount, this paragraph shall not be deemed to authorize acceptance of a contribution in excess of such lesser amount. The maximum contributions set forth in this paragraph shall be adjusted in accordance with subdivision seven of this section;1
(g) maintain and his or her principal committee or authorized committees must maintain such records of receipts and expenditures for a covered election as required by the board;
(h) not make expenditures from or use his or her personal funds or property or the personal funds or property jointly held with his or her spouse, domestic partner, or unemancipated children in connection with his or her nomination for election or election except as a contribution to his or her principal committee in an amount that does not exceed three times the maximum contribution amount applicable pursuant to paragraph (f) of this subdivision. Such candidate shall not make expenditures from or use other personal funds or property of his or her spouse, domestic partner or unemancipated children in connection with his or her nomination for election or election; provided that this paragraph shall not be construed to limit contributions by persons other than the candidate;
(i) not make and his or her principal committee must not make expenditures which in the aggregate exceed the applicable expenditure limitations set forth in section 3-706;
(j) meet the threshold for eligibility set forth in subdivision two of this section;
(k) not accept and his or her principal committee must not accept, either directly or by transfer, any contribution, loan, guarantee, or other security for such loan from any political committee for all covered elections held in the same calendar year in which he or she is a participating candidate, except as is otherwise provided for contributions by political committees pursuant to section 3-707 of this chapter; and
(l) not accept and his or her principal committee or authorized committees must not accept, either directly or by transfer, any contribution, loan, guarantee, or other security for such loan from any corporation, limited liability company, limited liability partnership or partnership, other than a corporation, limited liability company, limited liability partnership or partnership that is a political committee as defined in subdivision eleven of section 3-702 of this chapter, for all covered elections held in the same calendar year in which he or she is a participating or non-participating candidate, provided, however, that where a contribution is from a contributor whose name is followed by a professional designation including but not limited to “M.D.”, “Esq.” and “C.P.A.” the board shall not treat such contribution as coming from a corporation, limited liability company, limited liability partnership or partnership in the absence of further indicia that such contribution is from such an entity;
(m) fulfill the requirements of section 12-110 of the administrative code of the city of New York, including payment of any penalties as determined by the conflicts of interest board.
(i) The conflicts of interest board shall maintain a record of all candidates in compliance with section 12-110 of the administrative code of the city of New York. Such record shall indicate the date of filing of the candidate’s most recent annual disclosure report and the status of the candidate’s compliance with section 12-110 of the administrative code for all years for which the candidate is required to file. Such record shall be provided to the campaign finance board upon request.(ii) A participating candidate shall fulfill the requirements of section 12-110 of the administrative code to the satisfaction of the conflicts of interest board by the twenty-fifth day after the last day for filing his or her designating or independent nominating petitions pursuant to the election law in the year of the covered election, or such other later date as the campaign finance board shall provide by rule, provided that in a special election to fill a vacancy such deadline shall be established by campaign finance board rule, and further provided that a participating candidate seeking public funds for a December 15, January 15, February 15, March 15, or April 15 payment date shall file a report or reports as required by subparagraph (a) of paragraph 2 of subdivision b of section 12-110 and in order for such candidate to receive public funds on any such payment date the participating candidate shall fulfill the requirements of section 12-110 to the satisfaction of the conflicts of interest board by no less than three days prior to such payment date. A participating candidate that files a report covering the first nine months of the year preceding the year of the covered election shall not be eligible for further receipt of public funds after January 15 of the year of the covered election until a report covering the entire calendar year preceding the year of the covered election, as required by subparagraph (a) of paragraph 2 of subdivision b of section 12-110, has been made to the satisfaction of the conflicts of interest board and if such requirements are not satisfied then such participating candidate shall be liable for the repayment of any public funds received for such covered election.
(iii) A participating candidate who fails to adhere to the requirements of subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph may thereafter satisfy the requirements of this paragraph by fulfilling the requirements of section 12-110 of the administrative code to the satisfaction of the conflicts of interest board. The campaign finance board shall thereafter allow the participating candidate to make a claim for public funds upon satisfying the requirements of this paragraph and all other applicable law,rulesand regulations; provided, however that a failure to fulfill the requirements of section 12-110 of the administrative code to the satisfaction of the conflicts of interest board in a timely fashion pursuant to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph may result in a delay of any payment of public funds by the board.
(n) satisfy any claim made by the board for the payment of civil penalties or repayment of public funds that remains outstanding against such candidate or his or her principal committee or an authorized committee of such candidate from a prior covered election, if (i) the candidate had written notice of such potential claim and ineligibility to receive public funds prior to filing a written certification for the current covered election pursuant to paragraph (c) of this subdivision, or (ii) in the event no such timely notice has been given pursuant to subparagraph (i), the candidate has been given an opportunity to present to the board reasons he or she should be eligible to receive public funds.
(o) agree that expenditures by his or her principal committee for the purpose of advocating a vote for or against a proposal on the ballot in an election that is also a covered election shall be subject to the contribution and expenditure limitations applicable in such covered election.
1-a. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of this section, a participating candidate or his or her principal committee may not accept, either directly or by transfer, any contribution or contributions for a covered election in which he or she is a participating candidate from a natural person who has business dealings with the city, as that term is defined in subdivision eighteen of section 3-702 of this chapter, if the aggregate of such contributions to such candidate from such person for all covered elections in the same calendar year exceeds: (i) for the office of mayor, public advocate or comptroller four hundred dollars; (ii) for borough president three hundred twenty dollars; and (iii) for member of the city council two hundred fifty dollars; provided that a participating candidate or his or her principal committee may accept additional contributions which do not exceed one half the amount of the applicable limitation for any run-off primary election, additional day for voting held pursuant to section 3-108 of the New York state election law, special election to fill a vacancy, run-off special election to fill a vacancy, delayed or otherwise postponed election, or election held pursuant to court order which is a covered election and in which the candidate seeks nomination for election or election. Any contribution made pursuant to this section shall not be a matchable contribution. For purposes of this subdivision, “person” shall include any chief executive officer, chief financial officer and/or chief operating officer of an entity which has business dealings with the city, any person employed in a senior managerial capacity regarding such an entity, or any person with an interest in such an entity which exceeds ten percent of the entity. For purposes of this subdivision, the phrase “senior managerial capacity” shall mean a high level supervisory capacity, either by virtue of title or duties, in which substantial discretion and oversight is exercised over the solicitation, letting or administration of business transactions with the city, including contracts, franchises, concessions, grants, economic development agreements and applications for land use approvals. Notwithstanding any provision of this subdivision, the limitations on contributions contained herein shall not apply to any contribution made by a natural person who has business dealings with the city to a participating candidate or his or her principal committee where such participating candidate is the contributor, or where such participating candidate is the contributor’s parent, spouse, domestic partner, sibling, child, grandchild, aunt, uncle, cousin, niece or nephew by blood or by marriage.
1-b. Individuals and organizations having business dealings with the city of New York. a. Each participating candidate and his or her principal committee shall provide to every individual or entity making a contribution, loan, guarantee or other security for such loan in excess of the amounts set forth in subdivision 1-a of section 3-703 a notice containing the statement "If a contributor has business dealings with the City as defined in the campaign finance act, such contributor may contribute only up to two hundred fifty dollars for city council, three hundred twenty dollars for borough president and four hundred dollars for mayor, comptroller or public advocate." The principal committee shall report each contribution to the board on the next applicable filing deadline in accordance with the board's disclosure schedule. The board shall check each contribution against the doing business database and shall notify the principal committee within twenty days of the reporting of such contribution if a contribution exceeding the doing business contribution limitation set forth in subdivision 1-a of section 3-703 is subject to such limitations of this subchapter or if a contribution is not matchable pursuant to such subdivision. Notwithstanding any provision in this subdivision, in the six weeks preceding the covered election the board shall provide such notification to the principal or authorized committee within four business days of the reporting of such contribution to the board in accordance with applicable reporting deadlines. If the board fails to notify the principal committee that a contribution is in excess of the limitations set forth in subdivision 1-a of section 3-703 of this chapter in accordance with this subdivision, any such contribution shall be deemed valid for purposes of such limitation, provided, however, that no such contribution shall be matchable. Such principal committee shall have twenty days from the date of any such notification to return the amount of any contribution in excess of the limitations set forth in subdivision 1-a of section 3-703 to the contributor. No violation shall issue and no penalty shall be imposed where such excess amount is postmarked or delivered within twenty days of such notification by the board and the board shall not designate a candidate as having accepted a contribution in excess of such limitations where such excess has been returned in accordance with the time limitations set forth herein. Failure to return such excess amount in accordance with the provisions herein shall not result in the board withholding public funds for which the participating candidate's principal committee is otherwise eligible pursuant to section 3-705 of this chapter; provided, however, that the board may deduct an amount equal to the total unreturned contributions in excess of the limitations set forth in subdivision 1-a of section 3-703 of this chapter from such payment of public funds. For purposes of this section, "individual" shall include any chief executive officer, chief financial officer, and/or chief operating officer of an entity or persons serving in an equivalent capacity, any person in a senior managerial capacity regarding an entity, or any person with an interest in an entity, which exceeds ten percent of the entity. For purposes of this subdivision, the phrase "senior managerial capacity" shall mean a high level supervisory capacity, either by virtue of title or duties, in which substantial discretion and oversight is exercised over the solicitation, letting or administration of business transactions with the city, including contracts, franchises, concessions, grants, economic development agreements, and applications for land use approvals..
1-c. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of this section, a participating and non-participating candidate and his or her principal or authorized committee may accept text message contributions; provided, however, that such contributions may not exceed ninety nine dollars per contributor per candidate for all covered elections in the same calendar year, and further provided that the contributor shall certify via text message that he or she will personally pay the amount specified to the wireless service provider, and shall provide such other certifications as the board shall require. A text message contribution shall be attributed to the individual who is the registered user of the specific mobile device from which the contribution was initiated; shall be reported in accordance with the requirements of subdivision six of this section; and shall be a matchable contribution pursuant to subdivision three of section 3-702, provided such contribution meets the requirements of that subdivision, of this section, and of the rules of the board.
2. (a) The threshold for eligibility for public funding for participating candidates in a primary or general election for mayor, public advocate, comptroller, borough president or member of the city council, or special election to fill a vacancy for borough president or member of the city council, shall be in the case of:
(ii) public advocate and comptroller, not less than one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars in matchable contributions comprised of sums of up to two hundred fifty dollars per contributor including at least five hundred matchable contributions of ten dollars or more;
(iii) borough president, an amount equal to the number of persons living in such borough as determined by the last census multiplied by two cents in matchable contributions comprised of sums of up to one hundred seventy-five dollars per contributor including at least one hundred matchable contributions of ten dollars or more from residents of the borough, or ten thousand dollars comprised of sums of up to one hundred seventy-five dollars per contributor, whichever is greater.
(iv) member of the city council, not less than five thousand dollars in matchable contributions comprised of sums of up to one hundred seventy-five dollars per contributor including at least seventy-five matchable contributions of ten dollars or more from residents of the district in which the seat is to be filled.
(b) Any participating candidate meeting the threshold for eligibility in a primary election for one of the foregoing offices shall be deemed to have met the threshold for eligibility for such office in any other election, other than a special election to fill a vacancy, held in the same calendar year.
(c) For any special election to fill a vacancy for mayor, public advocate or comptroller, the threshold dollar amount of summed matchable contributions pursuant to subparagraphs (i) and (ii) of paragraph (a) of this subdivision shall be halved.
3. In order to be eligible to receive public funds in a primary election a participating candidate must agree that in the event he or she is a candidate for such office in any other election held in the same calendar year, other than a special election to fill a vacancy, that he or she will be bound in each such other election by the eligibility requirements and all other provisions of this chapter.
4. Candidates who are contested in a primary election for nomination for election to office and who do not file a written certification pursuant to paragraph (c) of subdivision one of this section shall not be eligible for public funds for any election to such office held in the same calendar year other than a special election to fill a vacancy.
5. Participating candidates who are seeking nomination or election exclusively as write-in candidates, who are unopposed in a covered election, or who are opposed in a covered election only by candidates seeking nomination or election exclusively as write-in candidates, shall not be eligible to receive public funds for such election.
6. (a) Each participating or limited participating candidate and his or her principal committee, and each non-participating candidate and his or her authorized committees shall report to the board every contribution, loan, guarantee, or other security for such loan received by the candidate and such committee, the full name, residential address, occupation, employer, and business address of each contributor, lender, guarantor, or provider of security and of each person or entity which is the intermediary for such contribution, loan, guarantee, or other security for such loan, and every expenditure made by the candidate and such committee, including expenditures not subject to section 3-706. Disclosure reports shall be submitted at such times and in such form as the board shall require and shall be clearly legible.
(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) above:
(i) an intermediary need not be reported for any contribution to a participating or limited participating candidate and his or her principal committee or a non-participating candidate and his or her authorized committees that was collected from a contributor in connection with a party or other candidate-related event held at the residence of the person delivering the contribution, unless the expenses of such events at such residence for such candidate exceed five hundred dollars for a covered election or the aggregate contributions received from that contributor at such events exceed five hundred dollars;
(ii) contributions aggregating not more than ninety-nine dollars from any one contributor for all covered elections held in a single calendar year or for a special election need not be separately itemized in disclosure reports submitted to the board on behalf of a participating, limited participating or non-participating candidate and his or her principal committee or authorized committees, provided, however, that contributions which are not itemized shall not be matchable;
(iii) the treasurer of the principal committee need not collect or disclose the occupation, employer, and business address of any contributor making contributions aggregating not more than ninety-nine dollars for all covered elections held in a single calendar year or for a special election; provided, however, such occupation, employer, and business address shall be disclosed if such contributors are employees of a participating or limited participating candidate or the spouse or domestic partner of such candidate or an entity in which such candidate, spouse or domestic partner has an ownership interest of ten percent or more or a management position, including, but not limited to, being an officer, director or trustee; and
(iv) disclosure reports, other than reports required to be filed every six months in accordance with the schedule specified by the New York state board of elections, need not be submitted on behalf of a participating or limited participating candidate and his or her principal committee or a non-participating candidate and his or her authorized committees if the cumulative amount of contributions and loans accepted by such candidate and committee following the period covered in the last disclosure report submitted to the campaign finance board on behalf of such candidate is less than two thousand dollars or such higher amount as may be determined by the campaign finance board, provided, however, that disclosure reports shall be submitted on behalf of a participating or limited participating candidate and his or her principal committee or a non-participating candidate and his or her authorized committees if that candidate and his or her committee have made expenditures in excess of forty-five percent of the expenditure limitation applicable to participating and limited participating candidates under section 3-706. The campaign finance board shall make available to the public a copy of disclosure reports within two business days after they are accepted by the board.
6a. Any rules promulgated by the board to require that disclosure reports submitted pursuant to this chapter be submitted in an electronic format shall provide exemptions for small campaigns, as defined by board rules, and for other campaigns that demonstrate that submission in an electronic format would pose a substantial hardship.
7. Not later than the first day of March in the year two thousand twenty-two and every fourth year thereafter the campaign finance board shall (i) determine the percentage difference between the average over a calendar year of the consumer price index for the metropolitan New York-New Jersey region published by the United States bureau of labor statistics for the twelve months preceding the beginning of such calendar year and the average over the calendar year two thousand nineteen of such consumer price index; (ii) adjust each maximum contribution applicable pursuant to paragraph (f) of subdivision one of this section by the amount of such percentage difference to the nearest fifty dollars; and (iii) publish such adjusted maximum contribution in the City Record. Such adjusted maximum contribution shall be in effect for any election held before the next such adjustment.
8. If a participating or limited participating candidate and his or her principal committee or a non-participating candidate and his or her authorized committees demonstrate to the board that a political committee has not accepted contributions, loans, or other receipts or made expenditures or transfers in a covered election, and represent that such committee will not accept contributions, loans, or other receipts or make expenditures or transfers in a covered election, the participating or limited participating candidate and his or her principal committee or non-participating candidate and his or her authorized committees may submit to the board legible copies of financial disclosure reports, required to be filed with the city or state board of elections, for such committees in lieu of the disclosure report form designated by the board for purposes of subdivision six of this section.
9. No political committee authorized by a participating, limited participating or non-participating candidate for a covered election may be authorized to aid or take part in the elections of more than one candidate.
10. All receipts accepted by a participating or limited participating candidate and his or her principal committee shall be deposited in an account of the principal committee. All receipts accepted by a non-participating candidate and his or her authorized committees shall be deposited in an account of the authorized committees. The treasurer of the principal committee or authorized committee shall be responsible for making such deposits. All deposits shall be made within twenty business days of receipt; provided, however, that deposits of contributions made in the form of cash shall be made within ten business days of receipt. Each disclosure report filed pursuant to subdivision six of this section shall include the date of receipt of each contribution accepted.
11. Regardless whether a participating candidate demonstrates eligibility for optional public financing under this chapter, a participating candidate and his or her principal committee are nonetheless required to abide by the requirements of paragraphs (d), (e), (f), (g), (h), (i), (k) and (l) of subdivision one of this section.
12. (a) Each participating candidate or limited participating candidate for nomination for election,
(b) The board shall review each disclosure report timely submitted by a candidate prior to the last date upon which such candidate may file a certification pursuant to paragraph (c) of subdivision one of this section, or subdivision one of section 3-717, and issue to the candidate a review within 30 days of the date upon which such disclosure report was due, provided a candidate may agree to an extension of time for such review by the board. Any response from the candidate to such review shall be due no earlier than when the next disclosure report is due. Such review shall inform the candidate of relevant questions the board has concerning the candidate's: (i) compliance with requirements of this chapter and of the rules issued by the board; and (ii) qualification for receiving public funds pursuant to this chapter. In the course of this review, the board shall give candidates an opportunity to respond to and correct potential violations, before the deadline for filing a certification pursuant to paragraph (c) of subdivision one of this section, or subdivision one of section 3-717, and give candidates an opportunity to address questions the board has concerning their matchable contribution claims or other issues concerning eligibility for receiving public funds pursuant to this chapter; provided, however, this paragraph shall not apply to the last required disclosure report before the deadline for filing a certification pursuant to paragraph (c) of subdivision one of this section or subdivision one of section 3-717. Nothing in this paragraph shall preclude the board from subsequently reviewing such disclosure reports and taking any action otherwise authorized under this chapter, provided that the board shall not invalidate a matchable contribution claim in a subsequent review unless the board learns of new information that is relevant to the eligibility for matching of such contribution claim and that was not available to the board at the time of the initial review.
13. Candidates who file a certification pursuant to subdivision one of this section shall not be eligible to file a certification pursuant to section 3-717, and candidates who file a certification pursuant to section 3-717 shall not be eligible to file a certification pursuant to subdivision one of this section.
14. (a) Transfers that a principal committee receives from a political committee (other than an authorized committee filing contemporaneous disclosure statements with the board in a timely manner) at any time during an election cycle shall:
(ii) exclude an amount equal to the total of:
(B) such previous contributions, or portions thereof, for which the principal committee has not obtained and submitted to the board, prior to receipt of the transfer, evidence of the contributor's intent to designate the contribution for such covered election, and any other record, as determined by the rules of the board; and
(c) Participating candidates shall have the burden of demonstrating that expenditures reported pursuant to paragraph (b) of this subdivision are not subject to the expenditure limit applicable under section 3-706 and are not a basis for reducing public funds payments pursuant to subdivision eight of section 3-705 of this chapter.
(d) Nothing in this subdivision is intended to modify or supersede any federal law that prohibits or otherwise restricts the use of campaign or donated funds by political committees, candidates or federal officeholders.
15. Participating candidates, their campaign managers, treasurers or persons with significant managerial control over a campaign shall be required to attend a training provided by the campaign finance board concerning compliance with the requirements of the campaign finance program and use of the campaign finance program software.
16. (a) Whenever the authorized or principal committee of any participating, limited participating, or non-participating candidate pays for any literature, advertisement or other communication, such communication shall disclose that the communication has been paid for by such candidate or committee.
(b) Whenever a participating, limited participating, or non-participating candidate, or the authorized or principal committee of such a candidate, authorizes any individual or entity other than such participating, limited participating, or non-participating candidate, or the authorized or principal committee of such a candidate, to pay for any literature, advertisement or other communication in support of or in opposition to any candidate in any covered election, such communication shall disclose that the communication has been authorized by such candidate or committee.
17. Notwithstanding any other law or rule, at any time before or after receiving public funds, participating candidates may return a contribution because of the particular source or intermediary involved, provided that if matching funds were received for such contribution then such matching funds shall be returned to the board.
ENDNOTES
1 Pursuant to Administrative Code § 3-703(7), these contribution limits were increased in 2022 to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index. Currently, these amounts are: for participating candidates for mayor, public advocate, or comptroller, $2,100; for borough president, $1,600; and for member of the City Council, $1,050 and for non-participating candidates for mayor, public advocate, or comptroller, $3,700; for borough president, $2,650; and for member of the City Council, $1,600.