Cruces begins looking at campaign reform

Officials in Las Cruces have begun exploring possible changes to the city’s election ordinance in an effort to address issues that have come to light in recent years.

Shortly after last year’s municipal election in November, Councilor Miguel Silva asked city staff to begin researching possible changes.

“Our rules are so lax that a person who has a campaign fund can close it out and pocket the money if he wants to,” Silva told NMPolitics.net. “Our rules need to be tighter, and we need more frequent reporting.

Silva was referring to a recent report that former Mayor Bill Mattiace, after deciding against running for mayor last year, donated $10,000 from his campaign account to help pay for the funeral of his sister-in-law’s husband.

Silva said the city attorney and clerk have started looking at other ordinances to come up with ideas for reform.

City Manager Robert Garza said the timeline for reporting, and the size and disclosure of contributions, need to be addressed.

“We have a lot of room to grow our policy and certainly need it,” he said.

I’ve been among those calling for reform. Several issues, including the Mattiace donation, have shown the need. Among them:

• The city doesn’t require that election ads include a disclosure of who is paying for them.
• The city doesn’t outlaw the spending of campaign funds on anything – including personal expenses.
• In 2009, a Las Cruces political action committee failed to report to the city clerk that it had raised money by telling people the funds were for the Las Cruces municipal election, but the clerk found that the PAC violated no city ordinance. Lots of people expressed confusion about the wording in the ordinance that sets reporting requirements for PACs.
• Also in 2009, residents of City Council District 6 received phone calls many described as a push poll. Who paid for those calls remains a mystery.

Silva said he wants the City Council to act now, noting that some councilors are up for re-election next year. He said changing the rules in the middle of an election would be difficult.

“If we don’t do it before the next municipal election, if we don’t do it this year, we’re not going to do it because it’s going to be too close to the next election,” he said.