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<baltimore-city-law heading="§ 11-18 Use of public contribution.">
  <section prefix="§" num="11-18" heading="Use of public contribution.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="In general.">A participating candidate may only make expenditures from the publicly funded campaign account registered with the State Board for expenses incurred directly for the election after the candidate is certified.</para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Previous expenses or loans.">A participating candidate may not use any portion of a public contribution to pay for expenses or loans incurred prior to being certified.</para>
    <para num="(c)" heading="Advance payment.">A participating candidate may not pay in advance for goods and services to be used after certification with non-qualifying contributions received before applying for certification.</para>
    <para num="(d)" heading="Reduction of public contribution.">
      <para num="(1)">Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Director must reduce the public contribution to a participating candidate’s publicly funded campaign account by the total amount of all expenditures made after the end of the previous election cycle from the candidate’s non-participating campaign account.</para>
      <para num="(2)">Expenditures made with contributions received prior to the end of the previous election cycle towards debts accrued before the end of the previous election cycle may not reduce the public contribution to a participating candidate’s publicly funded campaign account.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(e)" heading="Additional standards.">
      <para num="(1)">A participating candidate may not use a public contribution for:<para num="(i)">personal expenses;</para>
        <para num="(ii)">expenses related to holding public office;</para>
        <para num="(iii)">paying for a personal endorsement; or</para>
        <para num="(iv)">paying for late filing fees.</para>
      </para>
      <para num="(2)">A participating candidate may not use a public contribution to :<para num="(i)">contribute to current or future candidates for elective offices other than the one being sought by the participating candidate; or</para>
        <para num="(ii)">contribute to any entity or organization, such as a political party.</para>
      </para>
      <para num="(3)">The Director, in consultation with the Commission, shall determine whether an expense is a permissible use of a public contribution, and the Director’s determination is final.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(f)" heading="Allegations of a prohibited act.">A complaint alleging a prohibited receipt or use of funds by a participating candidate must be filed with the State Board.</para>
    <para num="(g)" heading="Access to records.">
      <para num="(1)">On request by the Commission, a participating candidate must provide the Commission with reasonable access to the financial records of the candidate’s publicly funded campaign account.</para>
      <para num="(2)">A participating candidate must keep all records for a period of 4 years after the election to which the documents relate.</para>
      <para num="(3)">The records must be retained by the campaign treasurer unless the State Board has been notified otherwise.</para>
    </para>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 20-338</annotation>
  </section>
</baltimore-city-law>
