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Council debates raising campaign contribution limits and staff political-activity rules during code rewrite
Summary
During a detailed review of ordinance 21-2026, council members debated increasing the local campaign contribution limit from $250 to proposed figures ($400 suggested by staff index, $500 suggested by some members), adding a required periodic review, and whether to restrict city employees’ political activity in light of recent Ohio Supreme Court guidance.
Upper Arlington council spent an extended portion of its May 11 meeting reviewing proposed changes to the city’s administrative code under ordinance 21-2026. The two most contested items were a proposed inflation-adjusted change to the municipal campaign contribution limit and a section that would limit political activity by city employees.
Campaign contribution limit: staff reported that the $250 limit set in 2006 equates to about $416 today when adjusted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI; council members discussed round figures and several positions emerged: some members argued to keep the $250 limit to preserve low-cost local campaigns; others supported raising the limit to $400 to align with inflation or to $500 as a rounded figure. Council asked staff to prepare an amendment to set the limit at $400 plus a mandatory periodic review (for example, review after a new council is sworn in) and to prepare clear amendment language for the next meeting.
Employee political activity: council also debated the code language that would restrict city employees from active participation in political campaigns and from using city resources for partisan political activity. Several council members noted a recent Ohio Supreme Court decision affecting judges and endorsements and asked whether similar prohibitions on employees could raise First Amendment concerns. Staff advised there are carve-outs for voting and expressing private political views and that activities such as soliciting donations, signing petitions, putting out yard signs or using city resources would be problematic. Council asked the city attorney to research and refine the language to balance constitutional constraints, operational concerns (e.g., use of city resources for levies where factual information is permitted) and the city’s interest in preventing misuse of public resources.
Other housekeeping: council also discussed inflation adjustments to settlement-authority thresholds and minor code cleanups (position titles, marriage solemnization language and potential nominal fees for certified mail), and asked staff to return with recommended language and cost estimates.
Why it matters: changes to campaign-finance limits and employee political-activity rules affect election dynamics, city ethics culture and the city's liability exposure. Council members expressed different views about openness to newcomers and about whether raising limits risks increasing the role of money in local races.
What’s next: staff and the city attorney will draft amendment language reflecting the $400 indexed proposal with review language and will refine the employee political-activity section for council consideration at upcoming meetings.
