Maximum donation limit CH elections

I just noticed this item on Council's agenda for next week. This allows more money to be donated to local candidates. Subject: Adjust Municipal Campaign Contributions and Disclosure Limits as Required by Ordinance   
Staff: Roger L. Stancil Ralph D. Karpinos
Department: Town Manager Town Attorney  
Overview: Chapter 2, Article IV of the Town Code limits the amount of money that an individual or a political committee can contribute to a Mayor or Town Council candidate’s campaign.  The Ordinance also establishes a maximum contribution that can be made without disclosing the contributor’s name in municipal campaign reports. Ordinance Section 2-73 requires that these amounts be adjusted during even-numbered years and provides criteria for making these adjustments based on changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) since 2009 and number of Town of Chapel Hill registered voters.  
The Town established campaign contribution limits in 1999 pursuant to special legislation enacted by the General Assembly.     
Recommendation That the Council enact the attached ordinance to increase the municipal campaign maximum contribution to $367 and the contribution disclosure exemption to $37 as required by ordinance.  
Decision Points  In 2015, the maximum amount that an individual or political committee could donate to a municipal candidate’s campaign was $336 and the names of contributors donating $34 or less were exempt from disclosure in campaign reports.   Based on data obtained in January 2016 (as required by Sec. 2-73 of the Town Code), the CPI has increased by 9.2% since 2009 and active voter registration for the Town of Chapel Hill is 36,761.  Based on the adjustment criteria established in Ordinance Section 2-73, maximum contribution and disclosure exemption amounts should be increased to $367 and $37, respectively.