State Sen. Richard Alarcon, a candidate for mayor of Los Angeles, launched an initiative drive Monday to ban city contractors and developers from contributing more than $100 to city candidates.
Citing the two grand jury investigations into city contracting, the Democratic lawmaker from Sun Valley said the measure is needed to rid City Hall of a "pay-to-play" system in which money buys influence.
Alarcon filed papers with the city clerk Monday to have the official title and summary approved for a petition that he plans to begin circulating next month.
"This initiative seeks to eliminate the 'pay-to-play' scandals that have cast a shadow on our once-proud city government," Alarcon said. "Together we can take our city back from the greedy, moneyed interests and the politicians who work for them."
The senator said he would ask the City Council to put the measure on the ballot, but the council has been slow to consider similar proposals in the past.
If the council doesn't act, Alarcon would have 120 days to collect 85,400 signatures of registered voters to qualify the measure for the ballot, according to Renee McDade of the city clerk's office.
Alarcon said if he has to spearhead a petition drive, the measure might not make the ballot until 2006.
If approved by voters, Alarcon's initiative would ban political contributions of more than $100 from firms that have received contracts worth $25,000 or more. The ban would last two years from the time the contract is awarded. The measure would also bar companies from seeking city contracts or land-use approvals if they have made contributions to city candidates within the previous two years. That prohibition could be lifted if candidates return contributions that exceeded $100 within 30 days.
The ban would apply to subcontractors, as well as the bidders' agents, employees, spouses and dependent children.
Councilman Dennis Zine, a member of the rules committee, said the initiative appeared impractical. "If you say they can't give for two years before a contract and two years after, who is going to bid on city contracts?" he asked.
The proposed wording of the initiative, which was submitted to the city attorney for approval Monday, says the measure's purpose is "to restore and protect the integrity of the city's procurement process." In February, Mayor James K. Hahn proposed similar restrictions on contributions by developers seeking land-use approvals from the city, but the Ethics Commission has not approved them.
