No, Debbie Presson is not going to post the 460’s – is she doing it on purpose? or just incompetent?

I’ve had several complaints from friends who’ve tried to view the campaign reports Downtown and say the CPOA is still late. The clerk has the authority to fine them $10 a day that they are late. Is she doing this?

·         This process is in place and is being reviewed with FPPC.  In addition, this office has been working with the CPOA in order to obtain compliance on the required filings.  However, fines have not been levied at this time.

When I tried to look at  the reports last spring, she didn’t have anything after 2012, for anybody. Now all she has are the initial filing papers, no 460’s.  The reports are supposed to be filed a couple of times a year, but she doesn’t post them or make them available.

·         Yes, all open committees are required to file semi-annual reports each year. When an individual is listed on a ballot, and when a committee is raising or spending money in connection with an election, three pre-election statements are also required.  And yes, the required statements are made available the same day to anyone interested in viewing them.

·         The City of Chico is in compliance with all the regulations pertaining to the accessibility of campaign disclosure statements by our citizens.

·         There is no regulation requiring the documents to be uploaded to the City’s website unless an agency has implemented mandatory electronic filings (Gov. Code § 84601(d)). 

Please note that the Council approved the funding for the NETFile program in the 2014/2015 Budget which will provide for online (electronic) submission of the FPPC filings required by the City of Chico.  Once implemented, this program will allow for the immediate uploading of all campaign disclosure documents when received during the reporting period.  I anticipate this program to be up and running by the first of the year for the Conflict of Interest Filings due in April 2015 and therefore in place for the 2016 election. 

·         Pursuant to the regulations regarding the duties of Filing Officers, it states that “all statements and reports filed (including the campaign log sheet) pursuant to the Political Reform Act are public documents and must be open for public inspection and reproduction during regular business hours.  Statements and reports must be made available as soon as practicable, but not later than the second business day following the day on which they are received.”

·         Please note that the City of Chico has been providing access to all FPPC statements the same day the forms are received.  A copy of each statement is filed in a binder kept at the front reception desk on the 3^rd floor of the City Offices.  In the past, Ms. Sumner has availed herself of those copies so she clearly knows that she has access to the files.  In addition, when the City Clerk’s Office was fully staffed, staff resources were available to scan, redact, and upload all the campaign statements on the website within a few days after receiving the documents.  Unfortunately, due to the severe financial setback that this organization has faced, staffing has been reduced throughout the organization which subsequently has had an impact on services once provided as a courtesy. Despite the limited resources, it should be noted that with the help from the Information Systems Department, most of the forms in question were uploaded to the City’s website as of Wednesday.

And she keeps telling us if we want to see them we have to come down there – why aren’t they on the website?  “See the answer up above.” Does she expect all Chico voters to conga line in there to see the reports, or does she expect us to vote blind?

·         Citizens come in all the time to review these reports or to request copies.  As the Elections Official for the City of Chico, I want every citizen to have all the information available to make an informed decision when voting.  

I would ask that if providing the “truth” is the intent behind Ms. Sumner’s requests, emails, etc. in order to not vote blindly, then she should immediately post on her blog the correct information about the City of Chico write in candidates… which there are none!  She wrote that she was voting for Joe Montes, as a “write in” candidate but failed to mention that he wasn’t an “official” candidate, which would have necessitated the filing of all required documents with this office.  To encourage people to participate in the election by including a write-in candidate is actually asking the voters to throw away one of their three votes and is disingenuous at best.

·         In closing, the campaign information that Ms. Sumner refers to was always available to the public in compliance with the law.  Would it have been easier to have been able to review the information online versus coming into the office to review the documents?  Absolutely. However, to imply or state that the City of Chico’s reporting obligation has not been met, is simply not true. I hope that as the City recovers from the financial situation that it finds itself in… and that many of the services that were once provided as a convenience will be fully restored.    

Thanks for your response to my concerns, Juanita Sumner