EAO 552

1. A city employee does not violate section 255.003(a) of the Election Code by allowing members of the public to display or distribute political advertising at a city-owned facility during or in connection with a candidate debate or forum if the city-owned facility is rented to and paid for by the sponsor of the candidate debate or forum, and if the sponsor uses non-public funds to pay the city its standard rental rate for the use of the city-owned facility. 2. A city employee does not knowingly authorize the spending of public funds for political advertising as prohibited under section 255.003(a) of the Election Code if members of the public display or distribute political advertising in a city-owned room that is rented to and paid for by the sponsor of a candidate debate or forum and the sponsor uses non-public funds to pay the city its standard rental rate for the use of the city-owned room. 3. A city employee does not knowingly authorize the spending of public funds for political advertising as prohibited under section 255.003(a) of the Election Code if members of the public display or distribute political advertising in a corridor outside the city-owned room rented to and paid for by the sponsor of a candidate debate or forum or in the parking lot of the city-owned facility where the candidate debate or forum is being conducted, and the city employee takes no action to prevent the display or distribution of the political advertising.