Office of the Mayor Ticket Distribution Policy

Updated February 12, 2025

This Ticket Distribution Policy establishes the requirements for the distribution of tickets and passes by the Office of the Mayor, pursuant to Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) Regulation 18944.1.

This policy applies to the Office of the Mayor and the Mayor’s Office on Housing and Community Development (MOHCD) (together referred to in this policy as “the Mayor’s Office”).

This policy (1) requires the distribution of tickets or passes by the Mayor’s Office to, or at the behest of, an employee or appointed officer to accomplish a public purpose of the Mayor’s Office and sets forth the public purposes of the agency to be accomplished by the distribution of tickets or passes; (2) prohibits employees or appointed officers who receive tickets or passes under this policy from transferring the tickets or passes to another person, with limited exceptions; and (3) outlines disclosure requirements.

1. Public Purposes of Distribution of Tickets or Passes.

The distribution of any free or discounted tickets or passes by the Mayor’s Office to, or at the behest of, an employee or appointed officer must promote one of the following public purposes:

• Promotion of economic development and employment in the City;
• Supporting local businesses;
• Increasing City tourism, including conferences, convention, and special events;
• Promoting the use of City-run, sponsored, or supported community programs;
• Raising awareness of resources available to City residents — including charitable and non-profit organizations;
• Highlighting community programs within the City;
• Promoting private facilities available for public use;
• Monitoring and maintenance of public facilities available for City resident use;
• Increasing public exposure to and awareness of the recreational, cultural, and educational facilities available to the public within the City;
• Gathering public input on City facilities and spaces;
• General employee morale (only for employees other than the Mayor, the Mayor’s Chief of Staff, the Deputy Chief of Staff, a Department Head, a Division Head, political appointees, or a member of commission or other appointed body); and
• Any other purpose similar to the above as identified by the Mayor’s Office.

The Mayor, the Chief of Staff, the Deputy Chief of Staff, and Department Heads shall each have independent authority to determine whether a public purpose exists and to distribute the tickets or passes in accordance with this Policy. The Mayor’s Office may not accept any tickets or passes from an outside agency that are earmarked for use by any particular Mayor’s Office employee or appointed officer. Employees or appointed officers may accept free or discounted passes from the City to events provided that attending an event serves a public purpose as listed above and provided that tickets and passes are not used disproportionately by a member of the governing body, chief administrative officer of the agency, political appointee, or department head. The Mayor, the Chief of Staff, the Deputy Chief of Staff, or Department Head (not an outside entity) decides which employee or appointed officers will receive the tickets or passes.

2. Prohibition on Transfer

An employee or appointed officer, who has received a ticket or pass distributed under this policy shall not transfer such ticket or pass to any other person, except to the employee or appointed officer’s spouse, domestic partner recognized by state law, or dependent children, solely for their personal use.

3. Disclosure

As required by FPPC Regulation 18944.1, the Ticket Distribution Policy and the information required by the FPPC’s Form 802 regarding the distribution of any ticket or pass under this Policy will be posted on the Office of the Mayor’s website within 45 days after the ticket or pass is distributed. The Mayor, the Chief of Staff, the Deputy Chief of Staff, or Department Head who distributed the ticket or pass, or their agent, will send the FPPC an email containing the website where the Form 802 is displayed so that the FPPC may post that link. A ticket or pass distributed by the Department under the Ticket Distribution Policy and reported on the FPPC Form 802 does not have to be separately reported by the individual ticket recipient.