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Council introduces ordinance to raise local campaign contribution limit to $250 for 2026 election cycle
Summary
Council introduced Ordinance No. 1585 to apply the biannual consumer price index adjustment to Arcata’s local campaign contribution limit, moving the threshold to $250 for the 2026 election cycle; the ordinance was introduced on a voice vote.
City Clerk Ria Varley and staff briefed the council on Jan. 21 about a routine biannual adjustment to Arcata’s local campaign contribution limits. The adjustment is required by a voter-approved measure adopted in 1992 that ties local contribution limits and independent-expenditure disclosure thresholds to the consumer price index every even-numbered year.
Assistant city manager and finance director Tabitha Miller provided the CPI calculation used to update the threshold. Staff said the contribution limit and independent-expenditure disclosure threshold for the 2026 cycle would move to $250 under Ordinance No. 1585.
Councilmember Stillman moved to introduce the ordinance and Vice Mayor Atkins Salazar seconded. The council agreed to introduce Ordinance No. 1585 by voice vote; staff noted the ordinance was noticed for public hearing and invited public comment (the clerk opened the hearing during the meeting procedures).
A Zoom participant who identified himself as a local council candidate, Dan Shaheen, thanked staff for the increase but said he intends to self-limit his own campaign contributions to $1 per donor where feasible to discourage money-driven campaigning.
Introducing the CPI-based adjustment is a procedural step required by the municipal code; staff said it will be agendized for later hearing and formal adoption as required by law.
