PLAINFIELD — The council repealed its local pay-to-play law Monday in a move that raised the ceiling on political campaign donations from $300 to $2,600.
The regulations, originally passed in 2011, limited the amount of money that vendors seeking contracts with the city could give to candidates running for local offices.
Without a local ordinance, state pay-to-play law will take effect in Plainfield. The state’s regulations allow a municipal candidate to accept up to $2,600 from a vendor if the city’s bidding process for contracts is “fair and open.”
Some council members previously said they felt Plainfield candidates should be able to accept as much money as contenders for office in some other towns without local restrictions. City corporation counsel David Minchello also said removing the $300 cap was meant to encourage vendors to donate through regular campaign committees that have to disclose their contributions, instead of through more opaque federal super PACs.
Councilwoman Bridget Rivers spoke out strongly against the repeal Monday, saying it would spur vendors to try to buy their way into contracts. She questioned why council members would vote to withdraw rules that some of them advocated for in 2011.
“I think we’re doing a disservice to the citizens of the City of Plainfield to allow this pay-to-play to come back,” Rivers said.
Council members voted mostly along political lines to throw out the restrictions. Allies of Mayor Adrian Mapp, who hold five of seven council seats, generally opted to rescind the regulations, while a faction supported by Assemblyman Jerry Green (D-Middlesex, Somerset, Union) voted to keep the rules.
Rebecca Williams, Charles McRae, Barry Goode and Joylette Mills-Ransome voted to eliminate the restrictions. Rivers, Diane Toliver and Cory Storch, who is an ally of Mapp, voted against the change.
The ordinance will take effect in 20 days.
Marisa Iati may be reached at miati@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @Marisa_Iati or on Facebook here. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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