Local News in Brief : Prop. 73 Hurts Initiative

The passage of Proposition 73 has wiped out a key part of a proposed campaign reform initiative in Long Beach that would have included public matching funds for political races, city officials say.

Supporters of the campaign reform had hoped to place the Long Beach proposal on the November ballot. City Atty. John Calhoun said, however, that the provision could not be implemented because of state Proposition 73, approved in last week’s election, which prohibits the use of public funds for campaigns.

The state’s voters approved two campaign reform measures, but Proposition 73, which also prohibits the transfer of campaign money among candidates, takes precedence because it received more votes. The other measure, Proposition 68, would have allowed the use of tax dollars for campaigns.

Long Beach Councilman Tom Clark, who chaired the committee that drafted the city proposal, said the committee will study limits on campaign contributions as an alternative to limiting campaign spending and using public financing.