State looks at Council's TofR freebies

less any amount of the ticket price that is indicated as a donation to the nonprofit or, in the 

alternative, the fair market value of any food, beverage, and entertainment provided to the 

individual."

So what does that really mean for Council members? According to the FPPC's own investigation when they last examined this issue in 2004, Mayor Bill Bogaard gets about 150 to 230 Rose Parade grandstand tickets from the Tournament of Roses each year, while individual council members get about 120 a piece. Sharp Seating, the Rose Parade's official grandstand seating provider, is currently selling tickets for anywhere between $42 and $85 a seat. So at the state's current gift limit of $390 for elected officials, even at the lower end of the pricing range an FPPC rule change would end up cutting the mayor and council's maximum allotment to a measly nine tickets each.

The Rose Bowl tix are, of course, a totally different story. According to the FPPC, the 2005 face value price for a ticket to the big game was $125, which would reduce the four free tickets council members were receiving at that time to three if the state's gift limit were applied. But who the heck gets Rose Bowl tickets at face value? Stubhub.com is already selling tickets to next year's game -- at a range of between $299 and $599.  That means that if the FPPC changes the rules, Council members would get no more than one freebie -- and it better not be on the 50-yard line.

Furthermore they would have to report nearly all the tickets on their yearly economic interest forms (Form 700), because state law requires any gift valued over $50 to be listed. 

Suffice it to say that, if the rules change, there are gonna be a whole lot of council friends/family/contributors watching America's favorite parade and game with the rest of us.... on TV, unless they want to camp out overnight on Colorado for a good seat.

FPPC is requesting public comment on the issue at blenkeit@fppc.ca.gov. or   

by telephone at (916) 327-2020.