The Mayor and City Council find as follows. Local government should be responsive and serve the needs of all Baltimore City residents equally without regard to their wealth. Public officials should discharge their duties in an impartial manner, free from bias created by their own financial interests or, in the case of elected officials, the financial interests of those that may have supported them during their electoral campaigns. Costs of conducting electoral campaigns have increased significantly in recent years. Many candidates are forced to finance their campaigns by seeking large contributions from individuals and entities who thereby gain disproportionate influence over governmental decision once the candidate holds office. Qualified candidates without access to personal wealth or wealthy donor networks are often dissuaded from seeking public office. Those that do run find it difficult to win with their voices drowned out in the media and on the ground. Perception of the inappropriate and disproportionate influence on government by those monied donors who dominate campaign financing has led to disillusionment among city residents who have felt that their voices are not heard. This disillusionment has resulted in disengagement from the political process and government. It is the policy of Baltimore City to:diminish the public perception of corruption and build public faith and confidence in governmental and electoral processes; help reduce the influence of large individual and corporate campaign contributions on city government and eliminate the potential for public corruption; reduce the impact of wealth as a determinant for whether an individual seeks to pursue public office; enable City residents of all races and income to run for office based on the strength of their ideas, supported by small donations from the public and matching funds from the Fund; provide participating candidates with sufficient resources in order to communicate with voters; foster greater investment and more meaningful public participation in the political process among all Baltimoreans, regardless of race, gender, socio-economic status, or geography; prioritize accountability among elected officials to the constituents who elect them rather than those who fund their campaigns; strengthen public control over the direction of local government; and strengthen democracy in the city of Baltimore. Ord. 20-338