Governor King Threatens Clean Election Act
by Doug Clopp
In 1996, in a citizen-initiated referendum, Maine voters passed the Clean
Election Act by a wide margin. The Act created the public financing of
legislative and gubernatorial campaigns in Maine if the candidates promise
not to take special interest money and agree to spending limits. The
referendum requires the state to dedicate an annual appropriation to the
Fund and permits taxpayers to voluntarily dedicate up to $3 of their income
tax each year for public financing of election campaigns. Last year, nearly
90,000 Maine taxpayers dedicated money to the Fund. A third of Maine's
current legislators won their seats as Clean Election candidates, and Maine
has become the model of election reform for the nation.
Gov. King now proposes to withdraw $4 million from the Maine Clean Election
Fund, shifting the money to the Rainy Day Fund in order to cover withdrawals
used for other parts of the budget. The Governor's revised budget has
restored the Rainy Day fund to a positive balance of 39 million, including
the 4 million withdrawal from the Clean Election Fund. Our point is why then
jeopardize the solvency for the 2006 cycle, when leaving it alone will still
leave the Rainy Day fund with 35 million. Doing this threatens the viability
of Maine's landmark election system at the very time that the corrupting
influence of Enron has accelerated campaign finance reform nationally.
The money in the Fund is a necessary reserve for coming elections and not a
surplus. Maine Citizens for Clean Elections projects that even with
conservative assumptions about future use, the Clean Election Fund will run
a deficit of about $2.8 million in 2006 and more than double that deficit in
2010 if the Governor is allowed to take $4 million from the fund. The
Governor did not project expenses for the Fund beyond 2003.
The Governor's proposal is alarming. It would take money that was dedicated
to the Clean Election Fund by a public referendum and by voluntary income
tax check-offs by taxpayers, and it could have the effect of repealing the
Clean Election Act. Legislators need to hear from constituents that the
Governor's proposal is contrary to the intent of the voters and may bankrupt
the Clean Election Fund by 2006. Messages can be left for legislators at
1-800-423-2900 (House) and 1-800-423-6900 (Senate). Your calls are crucial
as the Appropriations Committee will soon cast a deciding vote.
Campaign finance reform is an issue whose time has come. Federal campaign
finance reform is on the horizon. Reform in Maine came after a long and hard
battle, and we can be proud to have led the nation. Maine should not
backtrack on its reform by short-term raids on the campaign finance system.
Doug Clopp is Democracy Project Coordinator for the Maine Citizen Leadership
Fund. In that capacity, he staffs the Maine Citizens for Clean Elections.
Back to Peace Talk Index, Spring, 2002