4 council candidates have already raised $10,000
By Nancy Needham

Four of the nine city council candidates have met the $10,000 threshold and have filed their bank account statements with disclosure forms in accordance with the city of Thousand Oaks May 2006 ordinance 1463-NS.

According to the ordinance, such requirements further ensure the integrity of the election process, as well as keeping voters informed about campaign coffers and the sources of donations.

The Nov. 7 election is the first city council election in which candidates must participate under this new section.

This ordinance was designed by the city council to better protect the integrity of the election process by making the process more transparent, according to a May 9 memorandum from City Clerk Linda Lawrence to City Manager Scott Mitnick.

Those who've met the $10,000 threshold so far are John Glen DiGuiseppe, Andrew Fox, Dennis Gillette and Louis Masry.

Each has also filed form 460, a semiannual campaign statement. Oct. 5 is the next deadline for all candidates who meet the requirements to file preelection campaign statements with the city clerk's office.

The additional 1463-NS requirement makes city council candidates, their controlled committees, or committees not controlled by the candidates formed to support or oppose a candidate subject to filing a $10,000 contribution receipt form, provided by the city clerk, within 10 days of receiving $10,000 or more in contributions.

Along with the receipt formthey must provide all bank account statements covering the six-month period prior to the election.