Contribution clarification.

In a Feb. 28 column ("How to Follow L.A.'s Political Contribution Rules"), Timothy Lappen and Derek Jones advise readers incorrectly about how contribution limits apply in Los Angeles city elections.

Under California law, an occupant of a home or business who spends $500 or less on a fundraising event in his or her home or office has not made a "contribution." Once the costs of that event exceed $500, however, state law considers the full cost of that event to be a contribution and, therefore, that contribution cannot exceed the contribution limits established in city law. Moreover, when a business donates the services of an employee to a candidate's campaign, those services will count toward the city's contribution limits when the time that employee spends on political purposes reaches more than 10 percent of his or her compensated time in any one month period.

The City Ethics Commission offers easily accessible information about Los Angeles campaigns and the city's campaign finance laws at http://ethics.lacity.org.

LeeAnn M. Pelham 

Executive Director

Los Angeles City Ethics Commission