""This doesn't even do that - it doesn't mention the measure," Williams said."
""This is talking about the federal cuts, and we unquestionably have the ability to do that, but more importantly, the responsibility.""
"California's Supreme Court has ruled that judges should evaluate claims of illegal electioneering by analyzing whether the "style, tenor, and timing" of the communication makes it campaign-related or informational."
""The timing and the tone truly matter," she said. "And here, there are definitely language and words used that make you question whether this is more advocacy rather than informing.""
Local government officials are prohibited from using taxpayer dollars to explicitly advocate for or against ballot measures or candidates, but may provide residents with informational materials about ballot issues. Legal evaluation of potential illegal electioneering centers on whether the style, tenor, and timing of communication makes it campaign-related rather than informational. County officials cited informing residents about federal funding cuts and providing regular updates alongside property tax bills, web pages, and town halls as justification. Ethics experts cautioned that timing, tone, and language can approach the ethical boundary and that perceived advocacy can undermine public confidence.
Read at Kqed
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