West Hollywood City Councilmember John D’Amico announced tonight that, going forward, he will publicly identify financial contributors to his election campaign when they bring an issue before the Council.
“This is something that’s a New Year’s resolution of mine,” D’Amico said. He said he will reveal contributions from his initial campaign for a council seat in 2011 and through his campaign for re-election in 2015. D’Amico has said privately that he does not intend to seek a third term on the council if he is re-elected in 2015.
D’Amico said that he also invites campaign contributors to identify themselves as such when they appear before the council.
D’Amico’s announcement got a round of applause from the audience attending the council meeting. The City Council has been criticized for accepting donations from developers and other business interests based outside West Hollywood who seek to influence its members’ votes. In the March 2013 election, a majority of donations to incumbents John Duran and Jeffrey Prang came from business interests outside West Hollywood.
D’Amico’s announcement came ahead of his vote tonight to oppose a motion by Mayor Abbe Land that would bar campaign consultants, who advise council members on their election campaigns and raise money for them, from also lobbying the council for private business interests. That motion failed in a three to two vote, with only Land and Councilmember John Heilman, who made a similar proposal in December, supporting the restriction.
Every council member should have to publicly identify contributors. Its called TRANSPARENCY. If we can read the names of every serviceman lost in battle in our small local city council meeting.. we can also mention the names of all donors over $500.
If you care about the city of West Hollywood then your voice has to speak louder than the money heading to candidates campaigns.
He seems to really care for the city. I wish he would stay longer but his influences are already very positive, and happy he is elected and I’m sure he will be again for what he has done for us. To be honest I used to not vote, too busy, too whatever, and then grew up and started voting. Meaning that I realize you can’t complain if you don’t vote and to those who go to city council meetings and speak up I have the upmost respect for them. I love West Hollywood, I’m one of the many disabled and… Read more »
Good for him they need someone to keep the. Rest honest which seems more evident they are bought and paid for. Outsiders get more inside help than the residents of weho