(March 28, 2007) -- LBReport.com has learned that a political committee has been formed and has raised nearly $110,000 as of March 17 -- some in major amounts of $15,000, $10,000, $5,000, $2,500, $1,500 and $1,000...with significant chunks from outside LB -- to influence LB voters to support Mayor/City Council-bundled and backed Propositions A-G on the May 1 ballot.

In the public interest, LBReport.com posts the information online...where until now it has not been available online.

"Citizens for an Effective Charter: Yes on Props A, B, C, D, E, F & G" did file two timely campaign contribution reports to date in hard copy form...but the information hasn't been accessible on the City Clerk's web site. City Clerk election specialist Virginia Galetta told LBReport.com that the Committee in fact been trying to upload the data to the Clerk's web site but has encountered technical difficulties.

LBReport.com requested the information in hard copy form and it was promptly provided. We post salient contributions below (with descriptions are as listed in the filed reports and explanatory bracketed text by us):

The Committee lists an expenditure of $20,590 to Fairbank, Maslin, Maulin & Associates...the same firm that LB city management used (at taxpayer expense) to conduct polling to gauge LB public opinion in 2005-06 toward a possible parcel property tax or sales tax ballot measure (proposed for police and/or library purposes). (The Council ultimately declined to put such measures on the ballot at that time.)

"Citizens for an Effective Charter" reported cash on hand of $87,016 as of March 17...but that sum may be depleted somewhat by what appears to be a TV ad blitz launched on Charter Cable with thirty second spots featuring LB Mayor Bob Foster (separate coverage on LBReport.com).

The City Charter Amendments, placed on a special May 1, 2007 citywide ballot by a Council majority (Councilwoman Schipske dissenting) and backed by Mayor Bob Foster are:

• Prop A -- gives the Mayor a line-item budget veto, a stronger veto overall and broader Mayoral/Council removal power over Commission members (including the Harbor Comm').

• Prop B - creates a City Hall-chosen "salary commission" with the power to raise City Council salaries to full time levels without requiring full time work and without an accountable vote of the Council. Measure is bundled with creation of an advisory "Ethics Commission."

• Prop C -- lets incumbent Councilmembers seek a third term before term limit restrictions apply (currently two terms)

• Prop D -- lets term-limited Councilmembers' names to be printed on the ballot in a runoff if the candidate qualifies in a primary.

• Prop E -- lets City Hall take park land for non-park purposes without a vote of the people as long as the City Council approves creating additional park land (two for one) at another location

• Prop F -- removes City Prosecutor's duty to prosecute hearings before the Civil Service Commission

• Prop G -- removes outdated Charter provisions

A separate measure, Prop H, would increase the fee received by City Hall paid by firms extracting oil from LB, with the revenue going for public safety purposes.