HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Resolution 08-047RESOLUTION NO. 08-047
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF SARATOGA ESTABLISHING
A VOLUNTARY PLEDGE OF FAIR CAMPAIGN PRACTICES
A. Saratoga voters seek candidates for political office who embrace the basic
principles of honesty, fairness, responsibility, and respect that public office
demands.
B. Candidates for public office who fail to abide by principles of such basic
principles alienate the public from the electoral process and erode the public's
trust and confidence in the offices that those candidates seek.
C. Though the Code of Fair Campaign Practices for the State of California, Elections
Code § 20440, promotes state-wide campaign practices, the City of Saratoga has
its own distinct electoral culture, history, vision statement, and basic principles
that candidates for public office should embrace and exemplify.
D. The promotion of informed democratic decision-making through the election
process is enhanced by public knowledge of a particular candidate's positions
regarding, and adherence to, fair campaign practices.
E. Providing candidates for public office with a voluntary option of agreeing to a
City of Saratoga Pledge of Fair Campaign Practices serves to inform candidates of
the City's basic principles while simultaneously providing an opportunity for the
electorate to understand a candidate's positions on fair campaign practices.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council hereby:
1. Adopts the attached Pledge of Fair Campaign Practices form;
2. Directs the City Clerk to provide a copy of the City of Saratoga Pledge of Fair
Campaign Practices to each candidate for City Council together with the
California Fair Campaign Practices materials and instructions stating that
completion of the Pledge is voluntary and requesting that if signed, a copy of
the Pledge be given to the City Clerk; and
3. Directs the City Clerk to make copies of signed Pledges immediately available
to the public requesting such copies.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of
Saratoga, State of California, this 2"d day of July, 2008, by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Aileen Kao, Jill Hunter, Kathleen King, Vice Mayor
Chuck Page, Mayor Ann Waltonsmith
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
s~~ ~ ~~
ez~~ ~~.
Ann Waltonsmith, Mayor
ATTEST:
Ann Sullivan
Acting City Clerk
City of Saratoga
Pledge of Fair Campaign Practices
There are basic principles of honesty, fairness, responsibility and respect to which every
candidate for public office should adhere in order to be worthy of the public office than the
candidate seeks. Candidates who fall short of adhering to such principles alienate the public from
the electoral process and erode the public's trust and confidence in the offices that those
candidates seek.
THEREFORE, as a candidate for public office in the City of Saratoga, I pledge to run my
campaign in accordance with the following principles:
General.
/ My campaign for public office will adhere to principles of honesty, fairness,
responsibility and respect.
/ My campaign communications will present only fair, relevant and truthful information to
the voters for their consideration of my candidacy and those of my opponents.
Fairness.
/ The timing of my communications will be such that my opponents will have a
meaningful opportunity to respond to any claims I make concerning their positions or
qualifications to hold office.
/ I will not take advantage of any position I hold in the public, private or nonprofit sectors
to pressure people to support my candidacy with either campaign contributions or other
election help.
Relevance.
/ Irrelevant information includes appeals to prejudices based on race, sex, sexual
preferences, religion, national origin, physical health status, or age, as well as infornation
concerning the candidate's family.
4. Truthfulness.
/ I will present my positions and record candidly and forthrightly, so that the voters can
judge my candidacy for office.
/ I will document all assertions my campaign makes in campaign communications.
/ I will refrain from false or misleading attacks on an opponent or a member of his or her
family and will do everything in my power to prevent others from using such tactics.
Responsibility.
/ I support equal voting rights and privileges for all citizens and will take no action to
discourage participation in the City election process.
/ I will immediately and publicly repudiate those who take actions that either help my
candidacy or hurt my opponents' candidacy which are inconsistent with this pledge of
campaign conduct.
/ I will be honest in my relationship with the news media and candidly answer questions
from the media and voters.
/ I will use all campaign contributions for my campaign and will disburse any excess
contributions in accordance with all applicable laws.
/ I will review and approve all printed materials (including mailers, lawn signs, flyers,
advertisements, websites, and other media) sponsored by my campaign and will include
on all printed materials a statement that my campaign is the source of the material. I will
also do everything in my power to cause supporters producing independent printed
materials to include on those materials a statement identifying the source of the material.
Respect.
/ I will treat my opponents with courtesy and civility, even when we disagree about what
is best for voters served by the office I seek.
Candidate's Signature
Date