San Diego — The state's Fair Political Practices Commission is set to approve a stipulation between it and ex-Chula Vista mayor Steve Padilla and Padilla campaign treasurer Donald Wroe that settled charges arising from Padilla's 2002 mayoral campaign. The commission alleged that Padilla accepted a total of $2850 in cash contributions of $100 or more, a violation of state law.

Under the settlement, Padilla and Wroe will pay a $4000 fine; the penalty was relatively mild, according to the stipulation, because the campaign had reported the money on its disclosures at the time and cooperated with the agency's investigation. In June, Chula Vista dentist Robert J. Matkovich agreed to pay a $99,000 fine for laundering a total of $5250 to Padilla's campaign through 21 employees, friends, and business associates.

Also on this week's FPPC docket: a $952.79 fine against San Diego developer Tom Sudberry for failing to file a "major donor" statement summarizing $39,175 in contributions he made during 2005. Recipients included the GOP's Lincoln Club, Donna Frye for Mayor, Jerry Sanders for Mayor, Ron Roberts for Supervisor, Scott Peters for City Council. In yet another FPPC case, the Bob Filner for Congress committee is set to be fined a total of $3900 for failing to report a $25,000 contribution it made in November 2005 to "No on 77," a campaign committee that successfully opposed GOP governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's ballot attempt to let a panel of retired judges draw up the state's legislative and congressional district boundaries.