Mayor Allows Political Spending Measure to Go on April Ballot

Avoiding a City Hall showdown, Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan on Monday allowed a measure on the ballot asking local voters to override a state law limiting how much politicians can raise and spend while in office. Riordan said he opposes the measure, but did not reject it outright for fear the City Council would override his veto. By taking no action on the measure, the mayor cleared the way for it to appear on the April 8 ballot.

The Los Angeles City Council voted earlier this month to ask voters to raise the limit on so-called officeholder accounts from $10,000 to $75,000 a year. As part of a broader campaign finance reform package, voters statewide set the $10,000 limit--down from $75,000 in Los Angeles--in November, but council members said they need a larger pot to serve constituents in their sprawling districts.