Council amends code: raises local campaign contribution cap, sets delayed effective date

Upper Arlington council considered a set of amendments to Ordinance 21-2026 (administrative code and fee schedule) on Aug. 17 and recorded several roll-call outcomes.

Amendment 1 proposed increasing the maximum financial contribution for local campaigns from $2.50 to $400 and carried on a 4-3 voice count. A subsequent amendment (Amendment 2) set an effective date for that change after the 2029 city council election, which the council adopted. Supporters said the change modernizes a long-unchanged dollar amount; opponents warned that raising the cap could harm public confidence in local elections. Council debate included comments that $2.50 was accessible to many voters and symbolic of local engagement; one council member said, "I might be the lone 1 because I was sick for this meeting, but I actually like the $2.50 max and want to keep it that way." (Opposition statements recorded during the meeting.)

Amendment 3, which would have restricted certain political solicitations of city employees, failed following staff and council concern about neutrality and personnel issues. Amendment 4—delegating marriage-fee-setting authority to the city manager within cost limits—passed, and Amendment 5 (restoring exam-language protections in personnel code) also passed.

Votes were recorded by voice; Amendment 1 was reported as carrying with four in favor and three opposed. The council will incorporate the adopted amendments into a clean draft for a final vote at the next meeting.

What happens next: staff will publish a revised ordinance incorporating the adopted amendments for council review and a final clean vote at the next meeting.