Political Donations

Parking tickets are a big deal in Los Angeles. For years, the city has been jacking up fines, which slams many low-income renters and young people who live in tightly packed neighborhoods where they have to fight over street parking. Most politicians don't want to talk about it because parking fines are a big part of the city's revenue. Those tickets bring in $150 million a year. When the city runs into money problems - as it always does - it's the easiest thing in the world to raise fines instead of running afoul of unions, developers and political donors.

Retail giant Target Corp., which last summer sparked a customer and shareholder backlash over corporate donations to a controversial conservative political group, has quietly issued a new policy to tighten oversight and restrict how the company's funds are used for political purposes. The move highlighted the risk of controversy that has accompanied the growing practice of using corporate funds to influence the political process, both in election campaigns and government policy issues.

A ban on political contributions from businesses to city officials who award them contracts would not be effective, the Los Angeles Ethics Commission was told Thursday. Instead, businesses might be required to disclose political contributions when they bid for city work, Rebecca Avila, the executive director, told commission members. Avila said a ban would be ineffective because it would not stop employees of city contractors from giving to elected officials.

Contractors doing business with the Culver City government will be barred from contributing to local political campaigns under new city campaign guidelines approved Monday by the Culver City Council.

SACRAMENTO - A state judge Wednesday ordered an Arizona nonprofit to hand over a wide range of records involving its $11-million donation to California political campaigns, a victory for the state's campaign finance watchdog. California's Fair Political Practices Commission is trying to unmask the donors behind the Arizona group. The case is being watched as a test of state regulations intended to prevent campaign contributors from anonymously routing money through nonprofits. "This is a moment of truth for our campaign disclosure laws," said Derek Cressman of Common Cause, an activist group that filed a complaint against the Arizona organization.

Groups that raise money for female candidates are reporting that donations have doubled and tripled over the previous election cycle. One such group, Emily's List, raised $1.5 million for 14 female candidates in 1990; this time, the group said it already has raised $1.25 million and has contributed to 30 female candidates so far. "The (Clarence) Thomas hearings (accounted for) part of the increase," said Emily's List communications director Deborah Hicks.

The candidates for California attorney general tangled Monday over medical marijuana, campaign donations and the enforcement of laws against pollution and consumer fraud. In a debate on KCET-TV (Channel 28), Republican Chief Deputy Atty. Gen. Dave Stirling characterized his Democratic foe, state Sen. Bill Lockyer, as a "1960s Bay Area liberal."

A Buddhist temple involved in a controversial political fund-raiser four years ago featuring Vice President Al Gore has agreed to pay federal tax penalties as a result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service. The Hsi Lai Temple of Hacienda Heights confirmed the IRS examination Tuesday and said that the temple has agreed to pay an undisclosed "excise tax" on all political expenditures. It did not say when the IRS investigation began.

An attorney argued in court Monday that he should not be prosecuted if he donates money to an organization opposing mayoral candidate Peter Navarro after already contributing to Navarro's rival, Susan Golding. David L. Dick challenged City Atty. John Witt's interpretation of a 1973 law that limits campaign contributions. Dick wants to establish a committee opposing Navarro's election.

A West German court, capping a corruption scandal that tainted the country's major political parties, on Monday convicted two former Cabinet ministers and a businessman of evading taxes on campaign donations. But the Bonn state court, after a highly publicized 18-month trial, acquitted the defendants of the principal charges of bribery and influence-peddling.