Mayor's proposal revises campaign finance rules

Campaign finance rules are undergoing more changes in Anaheim, as Mayor Curt Pringle's newest proposal asks the City Council to approve stricter reporting rules and establishes an officeholder account for the city's political office holders. The council took a first look at the ordinance Tuesday and will vote on the changes next week. Pringle worked with Shirley Grindle, a campaign finance reform activist in the county, to draft the new rules. The ordinance includes language requiring candidates to list the occupation and employer of every donor. It also establishes a time frame for reporting changes in campaign filings. In the case of contributions exceeding the city's $1,000 limit, candidates must refund the amount in excess of $1,000. Greg Palmer, president of the Anaheim Police Association, described, as respectful and confident. "He was a good reserve officer, he was a good Marine," he said. "And he was a good husband and a good father." Smith leaves behind his wife Sandy and their three children, Nathan, 12, Ryan, 9 and Shelby, 8. The family lives in Vista, near Camp Pendleton. He was deployed with the 2nd Tank Battalion, Fox Company, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, with whom he led a company of more than 200 Marines. He was killed in a firefight outside Basra on Friday, where he died of a head wound, according to Marine officials. A decorated reserve officer, Smith was named "Top Cop" from his graduating class in the Palomar Police Academy. He also was named Reserve Rookie of the Year for the in 2000 and the Orange County Reserve Officer of the Year in 2001. Smith also received honors in his 20-plus years as a Marine, including the Navy Commendation Medal, two Navy Achievement medals and the Honor Graduate award from his non-commissioned officer training course. Officer Bill Moss in the department's community police member him as very division said officers reprofessional policeman. "He was just a very hard-working man," he said. Sgt. Jerry Blair of the department's gang unit described him as extremely friendly. "He's the nicest guy in the world but my immediate impression in the first time I met him was extremely professional and personable," he said. Smith, a member of the SWAT team, was also a member of the Marine's Special Operations unit and fellow officers said he was well-known at Camp Pendleton. "Anytime one of our (SWAT) teams was down there training and mentioned Smith's name everybody jumped," said Jay Poland, a pilot in the department's helicopter program. The city is offering all Anaheim employees the option of cashing out a chosen portion of their vacation time and donating the proceeds to the Smith family. Smith submitted his retirement paperwork in January, shortly afterward the secretary of the Navy cancelled all retirements and he was sent to the Middle East on Jan. 31. Funeral arrangements are pending, but Smith's body has been returned to the East Coast, said Tony Toliver, Smith's brother-in-law. A memory book was placed in the Police Department lobby near a portrait of Smith. Fellow officers also covered their badges with black tape in his memory.