Big changes are coming to how political campaigns in Philly can rally their financial war chests. Following what they called a "public hearing," the Board of Ethics has dropped the gavel on new rules that are set to tweak the existing framework of campaign finance. The updated regulations, which took effect on May 5, were announced to shake up the rules on coordinated expenditures, tighten the reins on special-use committees, and adjust the caps on contributions. It's all part of a push to clarify and update, with the Board insisting this latest move is about keeping the city's political funding clear and above board.

The changes, quietly rolled out just ahead of the mid-term campaign season, seem to be an attempt to smoothly refine the mechanics of financial influence in local elections—a move to keep candidates and committees in check before they start to seriously buckle down for the vote gathering showdown. The city's watchdogs have decided to both clarify and update the game's guidelines—an effort to stave off the kind of troubles that could taint the electoral process. According to the Board of Ethics, these amendments aim "clarify and update several areas of the regulation."

These rule adjustments are effective as of May 5, 2024, according to an announcement from the Board of Ethics. It's all about ensuring that the power of the purse doesn't outweigh the power of the people. Essentially, the Board of Ethics is trying to write a new chapter in campaign finance—one that Philly politicians will now have to read very carefully.