California Proposition 25, Campaign Contribution Limits (2000)

California Proposition 25 was on the March 7, 2000 ballot in California as an initiated state statute, where it was defeated.

Proposition 25 would have revised state laws on political campaigns for candidates and ballot measures beginning in 2001. Several provisions of Proposition 25 were similar to provisions of Proposition 208 from 1996. Proposition 208 was approved by California's voters, but were not in effect because of a lawsuit.

Proposition 25 would have:

• Limited financial contributions to support candidates for state or local elective office and prescribes when fund-raising for state candidates can occur.
• Established voluntary campaign spending limits for state candidates and ballot initiative campaigns.
• Provided public funding for broadcast advertising and voter information packets mailed to voters for certain state candidates and ballot initiative campaigns that have accepted voluntary campaign spending limits.
• Requiresd establishment of Internet web sites to display information on state political campaigns and some local political campaigns, finances, and advertising authorized by campaigns.
• Established new advertising and financial disclosure requirements for state and local campaigns.
• Required state verification of contributions from major donors.
• Made it illegal under any circumstances to provide or offer compensation to someone to vote.

Election results

Proposition 25
Result		Votes	Percentage
d No		4,589,870	65.3%
Yes		2,444,984	34.7%

Text of measure

Chart prepared by the LAO showing the campaign contribution limits that would have gone into effect if Proposition 25 had been approved

Title

The ballot title was:

Election Campaigns. Contributions and Spending Limits. Public Financing. Disclosures. Initiative Statute.

Summary

The summary of the ballot measure prepared by the California Attorney General read:

• Expands campaign contribution disclosure requirements, establishes contribution limits from single sources of $5,000 for statewide candidates, $3,000 for other candidates, $25,000 for political parties, and $50,000 total per election. Bans corporate contributions. Limits fund-raising to period 12 months before primary election and ninety days after election.
• Provides public financing of campaign media advertisements and voter information packets for qualifying candidates and ballot measure committees adopting spending limits ranging from $300,000 for Assembly primary race to $10,000,000 for Governor's race.
• Requires ballot pamphlet to list top contributors on ballot measures.

Fiscal impact

See also: Fiscal impact statement

The California Legislative Analyst's Office provided an estimate of net state and local government fiscal impact for Proposition 25. That estimate was:

• State costs of more than $55 million annually, potentially offset to an unknown extent.
• Local government costs of potentially several million dollars annually.

Campaign donations

$900,350 was spent in favor of the measure; 2,361,303 was spent opposing it.

Donors in favor of the measure included:

• Max Palevsky, $1,000,000.
• Ron Unz, $995,000.

Donors opposed to the measure included:

• California Teachers Association, $321,665
• Democratic Central Committee of California, $275,000
• American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, $177,000

See also

• California 2000 ballot propositions

External links

• Official Voter Guide to Proposition 25
• Full text of Proposition 25
• Official declaration of the March 7, 2000 vote
• Smart Voter on Proposition 25
• Cal Voter on Prop 25
• Top Ten contributors