View source for Proposal: Amend Policies and Procedures for Campaign Financial Support Committee

'''PRESENTER:''' Greg Jan, Interim Coordinator, Campaigns and Candidates Working  Group 

'''CONTACT:''' Warner Bloomberg, 867 North Fifth Street, San Jose, CA 95112 (408)  295-9353 _wsb3attyca at aol.com_ (mailto:wsb3attyca at aol.com)  
  
'''SUBJECT:'''  Update Policies and Procedures for  Campaign Financial Support Committee 

'''BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:''' The GPCA adopted policies and procedures for distribution of donations to candidates in April 2008 (see Addendum B to the GPCA Bylaws). Current rules regarding eligibility to receive GPCA financial assistance requires candidates for partisan office to be the GPCA nominee following the Primary Election before the Campaign Financial Support Committee (CFSC) may authorize a GPCA donation to the candidate's campaign committee. 

But Proposition 14 has created a “Primary Election” that is a de facto general election with a further “top two” runoff election for California statewide and legislative  offices. In all likelihood, most GPCA candidates for legislative and statewide office will not succeed to the runoff election. The outcome of current court proceedings in Fall 2011 is speculative at the time this proposal has been written. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQrl6Wh8bG0)

Accordingly, the GPCA should amend the current CFSC rules unless and until the operation of Prop 14 is either suspended or voided. 
  
Additionally, the existing policies and procedures need clarification to expressly state that a GPCA candidate in a recall situation is considered a “candidate” (e.g., as in a special election). 

'''PROPOSAL:''' The General Assembly of Delegates amends the policies and procedures for the Campaign Financial Support Committee as follows:   

The following Paragraph 5. D-1. is added to the existing CFSC Policies and  Procedures (see GPCA Bylaws Appendix B) as follows: 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, until such time as the Proposition 14 elections structure is suspended or voided, the CFSC may authorize distribution of GPCA donations to candidates for office upon the certification by the Secretary of State of the candidate's  qualification to appear on the "Primary" ballot. 

Also add a new Paragraph 5. F. as follows:   

An elected official subject to a recall election, or a replacement candidate in a  recall election, shall be  considered a candidate in a special election. 

'''COMMITTEE  PROCESS:''' General discussion of the  subject of this proposal was begun on the July 13, 2011 CCWG teleconference and continued on the July  27, 2011 CCWG teleconference and was approved that evening, subject to any outstanding concerns on the CCWG email list, of which there were none. 

'''TIMELINE:''' Adoption at the December 3rd/4th, 2011 General Assembly.

'''RESOURCES:''' The  current situation requires early identification of candidates and communication  about how candidates can apply for a limited campaign donation from the  GPCA.  This means that County Green  Parties and locals will need to endorse candidates and communicate those  endorsements to the CCWG as soon as practical – preferably before the deadline  for candidates to be certified for the ballot.  It also requires an expedited  recommendation process by the CCWG to the CFSC and prompt decision making by  CFSC members.   This requires  greater and earlier focus on these concerns at the County GP level and better  County GP communications with the Campaigns and Candidates Working Group.  The General Assembly also should review   the  candidate support budget line at the next Plenary as part of its creating the  second half of  its  Fiscal Year 2011-2012 Budget. 

References:  The full text of the current CFSC  policies and procedures is as follows: 

1.  Membership. 
The  Campaign Financial Support Committee (CFSC) shall consist of two GPCA 
members  from each of the GPCA  Coordinating Committee (CC), Finance Committee and Campaigns and Candidates  Working Group (CCWG).  Each SC/WG shall use its own ordinary processes for making such appointments. A  current SC/WG/GPUS  Delegates Coordinator shall not be eligible to be a CFSC member. Any person who  is, or who  has announced an intention to be, a candidate for elected office, or anyone  serving as a campaign manager,  treasurer or consultant for such a candidate, is ineligible to be a CFSC member.  Quorum for the CFSC  shall be at least three CFSC members. 

2.  Term of Office. 
CFSC  members shall be appointed not later than the General Assembly at which the GPCA  annual budget is  submitted for adoption, and shall serve a one year term. CFSC members may not  serve more than three consecutive  terms. In the event a vacancy occurs in any CFSC position, the SC/WG that  appointed the person  who has resigned or become disqualified shall appoint the replacement to serve  the remainder of the applicable  term of appointment as soon as practicable after the vacancy  occurs. 

3.  Responsibilities. 
The  CFSC shall have the responsibility to decide what campaign committees shall  receive funds from the part  of the annual GPCA budget approved for the financial support of GPCA candidates  for elected office. 

The  CFSC shall establish procedures for candidates to apply for funding, including  an application form or questionnaire  and application deadlines, that shall be generally communicated via GPCA email  lists and publications  and posted on the CCWG webpage(s). Drafts of those procedures and forms also  shall be published  to the CC, CCWG and County Contacts email lists for at least 15 days to allow  comments before adoption. Procedures  adopted by the CFSC shall continue until modified. The CFSC shall internally  establish general principles  for prioritizing the distribution of limited funds in each GPCA fiscal year.  Within 60 days following  any election in which the CFSC designates funding for candidates, the CFSC shall  provide a written  report of its funding deliberations and decisions to the CC and CCWG  (Co)Coordinators. 

4.  Authority. 

CFSC  funding decisions shall be communicated directly to the GPCA Treasurer for  transmittal of funds as decided  by the CFSC. Any funding decision shall require agreement by a minimum of three  CFSC members.  The GPCA Treasurer shall promptly issue funds as designated by the CFSC except  where either (a)  the donation would result in the candidate's committee receiving more cumulative  donations than allowed  by statute or regulation or (b) where the candidate declines all or part of the  donation. 

The  GPCA Treasurer shall promptly report either such circumstance to the CFSC which  may amend its previous  determinations upon receipt of such information. The CFSC may request the  assistance of the CCWG  or any other GPCA committee, working group or county organization in its  processes for evaluating  candidates' applications for GPCA financial support. 

5.  Funding Eligibility. 

Notwithstanding  any of the foregoing, to be eligible for GPCA campaign donations: 

A.  Candidates for non-partisan municipal, county and special district races,  California state legislature and  U.S. House of Representative must obtain the endorsement of any active Green  Party county organization  operating within the boundaries of the district for the applicable  office. Endorsements  must be communicated directly to the CFSC by a County Council member of  the County  GP or a designated officer of an applicable GP County  Local. 

B.  Candidates for partisan statewide constitutional offices (Governor, Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney  General, Treasurer and State Comptroller); Non-Partisan statewide constitutional  offices (Superintendent  of Education); State Board of Equalization and U.S. Senate must obtain  GPCA endorsement  by a General Assembly of Delegates or County Polling. [The text of this  subsection shall  automatically be amended in the event the California Secretary of State is  amended to become  a nonpartisan office.] 

C.  In special circumstances (e.g., large voting districts with multiple  county  organizations; special  elections),  the CFSC may waive the endorsement requirement on a case-by-case basis.  However, in  such cases, a candidate will need to demonstrate local support by endorsement of  at least one  active  County GP, or endorsement by one or more Locals, or endorsement by the CCWG, or  some  other  form of internal GPCA organizational endorsement, as a funding eligibility  requirement. 

D.  Candidates for partisan office shall not receive GPCA financial support unless they are the GPCA  nominee  following the GPCA Primary Election. 

E.  Committees related to issue campaigns are not eligible for funding under these procedures.