Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate says donations to council candidates should be capped to reduce the influence of unions and property developers.
The Crime and Corruption Commission is investigating disclosure and funding allegations against candidates from Queensland's local government elections last year.
Mr Tate told a public hearing on Wednesday individual and overall donations to a divisional candidate should be capped, suggesting $5000 and $40,000 limits, respectively.
He also suggested a mayoral candidate's campaign be limited to $100,000.
The commission heard Mr Tate's entire campaign was funded by about $182,000 of his own money.
"It makes it easier in your political life because you're not beholden to any donors," he said.
Mr Tate, Gold Coast's mayor since 2012, said he kept away from third-party donations to avoid any perceived influence on his decisions.
He said property developers seeking to contribute to his campaign were told to hand out how-to-vote cards on polling day instead of giving a donation.
"If you got a big whack of money from someone, you kind of feel some soft spot for them," Mr Tate told reporters.
"For me, our donation is my wife and I so I have a big soft spot for my wife."
Mr Tate was elected in 2012 as an independent after running unsuccessfully for the Liberal National Party in 2008.
He remains a life member of the LNP, saying he has "nailed his colours to the mast" as a conservative.
He declined to comment on the independence of Gold Coast councillor Kristyn Boulton, who received $30,000 from the LNP during the election despite promoting herself as an independent candidate.
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