Dwight Evans put his state representative cap on Monday to help move forward a campaign finance bill in Harrisburg. The House's State Government Committee passed House Bill 116, which would give the city the explicit authority to regulate campaign contributions.
In legalese from the bill, the measure would give the city...
...the power and authority to regulate public
and private campaign finance for the nomination
and election of municipal officers.
The bill was approved by the House last year, but died in the Senate.
"As a result of this delay, we still have an election process that is so murky, even the courts have been unable to sort it out."
A panel of seven Commonwealth Court judges heard arguments last week as it attempts to determine whether the city's campaign contribution limits are allowed. Two city judges reached opposite conclusions over whether the city has the legal power to set up its own campaign finance measures.
Any decision in that case is likely to again be appealed, meaning the mayoral candidates would still be limited to $5,000 donations from individuals and $20,000 from groups.
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