Arlington Heights raises campaign contribution limits

Already one of the few suburbs with local campaign finance rules, Arlington Heights is raising contribution limits that have gone unchanged for 24 years.

Citing inflation, the village board this week voted to increase the amount an individual can donate to a candidate running for trustee or mayor from $250 to $500. For an organization, the cap will rise from $500 to $1,000.

By comparison, the state contribution limits are $5,600 for individuals and $11,100 for organizations.

Board members also agreed to delete a section of village code that prohibited contributions from anyone holding a liquor license. That was spurred by recent U.S. Supreme Court and lower court decisions on free speech, plus advice from village attorneys that the restriction likely could not withstand a legal challenge.

"From time to time, we have to go through and take a look at ordinances to update them for current times, for changing conditions," Trustee Thomas Glasgow said.

When the rules were put in place in 1991 and then amended in 1994, then-Village Attorney Jack Siegel said he believed the local rules were arguably unenforceable, since Illinois election code governs all elections in the state. But since then, the rules have not faced legal challenge.

Trustee John Scaletta, the lone "no" vote on raising the contribution limits, said he is uncomfortable doing so because he is running for re-election next spring.

Keith Moens, a resident who frequently attends board meetings, said the new limits may hamper less financially connected candidates.

Mayor Tom Hayes called the new limits "fair" and noted that the rules hadn't been changed in some time.