San Diego City Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera will on Wednesday bring forward to the council's Rules Committee the "Follow the Money Ordinance," a proposed ethics reform package aimed at lobbyists and dark money.
The proposed ordinance, if passed as-is, is intended to increase transparency in regards to lobbying efforts influencing City Hall decisions.
"Right now, wealthy and powerful interests are spending big money to influence city decisions and the public doesn't know who was behind it or how much was spent until after the decision has been made. That is the opposite of how things should work," Elo-Rivera said. "Government should work for San Diegans, not political insiders who can hide their influence until it is too late for the public to respond. San Diegans deserve to know who is trying to influence their city and which side they're on while there is still time to do something about it.
"And the powerful lobbyists paid to work City Hall shouldn't be funding the campaigns of the very officials they're lobbying. The county banned that. The state banned that. It's time San Diego did too."
The ordinance would require "real-time disclosure of money spent to influence city decisions and ban campaign contributions from registered lobbyists to the campaigns of the officials and candidates they are paid to lobby," a statement from the councilmember's office read.
Under the proposal, groups or individuals spending $1,000 or more to influence a municipal decision would be required to file a disclosure report with the City Clerk within 24 hours. The current limit is $5,000 before disclosure is legally required.
It would also require covered communications to identify top funders and disclose when AI-generated or AI-altered content is used. In addition, the proposal would prohibit elected city officeholders and candidates for city office from accepting campaign contributions from registered lobbyists.
The San Diego City Council's Rules Committee is scheduled to meet at 9 a.m. in the City Administration Building's Council Chambers, 12th Floor, 202 C St. Committee members include Council President Joe LaCava, Pro Tem Kent Lee and councilmembers Raul Campillo and Vivian Moreno, along with Elo-Rivera.
