During a regularly scheduled meeting today, the Campaign Finance Board declared a “Tier 2” bonus for the participating candidate in the general election for Council District 19, based on the post-election filings of a non-participating candidate, which indicated that the non-participating candidate raised or spent three times the applicable spending limit. Under the Tier 2 bonus, eligible contributions are matched at a higher rate, the cap on public funds available is increased, and the spending limit is lifted.
Advisory opinion. The Board also issued an advisory opinion in order to reaffirm and clarify the Board’s guidance provided in AO 2008-7 and AO 2009-8, both of which addressed issues related to the extension of term limits. In the advisory opinion issued today, the Board finds that for those candidates who complied with AO 2008-7: (1) contributions received by candidates in Groups 1 and 2 (as defined in AO 2008-7) during the 2009 election cycle are eligible to be matched with public funds in the 2013 election to the extent to which they otherwise comply with the law; and (2) LLC, LLP and partnership contributions received prior to January 1, 2008 do not have to be refunded by Groups 1 and 2 candidates. The advisory opinion will be posted here later today.
The next public meeting of the New York City Campaign Finance Board will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 4 at 40 Rector Street in Lower Manhattan (between Washington and West Streets), New York, NY 10006.