File #: Int 0125-2002    Version: * Name: Campaign Finance Program, Return of Goods
Type: Introduction Status: Filed
Committee: Committee on Governmental Operations
On agenda: 4/10/2002
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York in relation to the return of durable equipment and goods purchased with public funds by candidates participating in the campaign finance program.
Sponsors: Tony Avella, Domenic M. Recchia, Jr., Philip Reed
Council Member Sponsors: 3

Int. No. 125

 

By Council Members Avella, Recchia and Reed

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York in relation to the return of durable equipment and goods purchased with public funds by candidates participating in the campaign finance program.

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1.  Declaration of Intent and Findings.  Each election cycle, candidates who participate in the city’s campaign finance program expend thousands of dollars in public funds for the purchase of durable equipment, such as computers, office equipment, furniture, digital cameras, television sets, video cameras, and many other kinds of goods.  At the conclusion of a participating candidate’s campaign, this equipment is often distributed to private entities or individuals, or else remains in the possession of the candidate’s principal committee for use in subsequent campaigns.

This equipment should be returned to the city for use by city agencies.  Items purchased with public funds should not be converted to private use or retained for subsequent campaigns.  This violates the general principle of the campaign finance act that all candidates must return unspent resources to the public fund.  The Council finds that, by requiring this return of durable equipment, significant savings in public resources over time will be achieved.

                     § 2.  Section 3-710 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new subdivision four, to read as follows:

                     4.  Any durable items purchased with public funds by a principal committee shall be returned to the board no later than ten days after the filing of the final campaign finance disclosure report for a covered election.  Such durable goods may include, but are not limited to, computers, office furniture and equipment, digital cameras, television sets, video cameras, and other durable items used for the campaign.  The board shall take an inventory of all durable items returned and provide all durable items that are recovered to the department of citywide administrative services, which will redistribute or sell such goods, in accordance with the city’s needs.

                     § 3.  This law shall take effect ninety days after its enactment.