Des Plaines might bar campaign contributions from city contractors

This story has been updated with the dates candidates began circulating petitions (Sept. 20) and can begin filing (Dec. 12).

With municipal elections around the corner next April, Des Plaines officials may toughen their ethics ordinance to further limit, or even outright ban, campaign contributions from companies that do business with the city.

Des Plaines elected officials are prohibited from accepting donations from anyone who has a contract with the city worth more than $10,000 over any 12-month period.

Aldermen are now considering adjusting that threshold to $1,000, or even zero.

"I thought it would be a good idea to take another look at this," said Alderman Patti Haugeberg, who chairs the city council's legal and licensing committee.

The city's general counsel and clerk put out a list last week detailing 273 vendors who have received payments in excess of $10,000 from the city between Sept. 1, 2015, and Aug. 31, 2016. Candidates running in next spring's election got that list, but it could grow if aldermen approve changes to the ethics rules as early as their Oct. 3 meeting.

Alderman Denise Rodd proposed the threshold be eliminated altogether so any company doing business with the city couldn't give to candidates.

"Why even have a dollar amount?" Rodd suggested at a recent council meeting.

Six positions are up for election in Des Plaines next spring, including mayor, city clerk, and aldermen in the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th wards. Candidates began circulating petitions Sept. 20, and they can begin filing Dec. 12.

Alderman Don Smith suggested the existing rules, on the books at least since 1995, be "cleaned up" because, he said, theoretically a company could have done more than $10,000 worth of business with the city years ago and still be barred from making a contribution in 2016.

Beyond city contracts, Smith and Alderman Jim Brookman said the rules also should apply to firms that seek zoning variations and approvals from the city council.

Brookman said members of city commissions - who are appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council - also shouldn't be able to make political contributions to local officials.

Smith asked the city's general counsel to research whether candidates who aren't incumbents can be covered by the ethics rules.