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e • Compliance Finding: The City Attorney must issue a Formal finding on whether the expenditure was compliant with the Special Event Sponsorship Policy and the Code of Ethics (prudent use and avoidance of political appearance). (Initiate ethics complaint proceedings per the City Code of Conduct.) B. City Council Legislative Action • Resolution & Censure: Place an item on the next City Council agenda (or the first available date) for a resolution finding the expenditure non-compliant and imposing a formal Censure of Councilmember Lopez for violation of policy and erosion of public trust. • Mandatory Personal.Reimbursement: Resolution must order the Mandatory Personal Reimbursement of the $2,500 amount directly from Councilmember Lopez's personal funds back to the City's Special Event Sponsorship account. Repayment from her office's remaining discretionary budget is unacceptable, as this would merely shuffle taxpayer funds and fail to remedy the fiduciary breach. The only true remedy for a misuse of public resources is. personal financial accountability. C. Policy Reform & External Referrals • Policy Tightening: Direct staff to immediately implement a policy clarification that explicitly states: o Out-of-city events are ineligible unless the applicant proves a clear, measurable, direct benefit to Santa Ana residents. o Events connected to an official's active candidacy are explicitly ineligible due to the policy's existing "politically oriented" prohibition. • Referrals for Enforcement: If the investigation confirms a campaign or advocacy nexus, or evidence of administrative complicity, I request immediate referral to the Pair Political Practices Commission (I^PPC) and the Orange County District Attorney for review under state law, including Gov. Code §8314 and Penal Code §424. (Notification of referral status required upon completion of the internal review.) III. Supporting Evidence (Attached / Available) 4