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2007

Paying up for cleaner races

By Kevin Herrera, Santa Monica Daily Press.

May 17th, 2007

DOWNTOWN In answer to the City Council’s question about publicly financing political campaigns, the public over- whelmingly said “yes.”

Most residents said they were willing to foot the bill during a community meeting at the Ken Edwards Center on Tuesday,a meeting called by elected officials in efforts to amass feedback on election reform.

More than 50 people attended the event, which examined every aspect ofthe political process, from the city clerk’s role in monitoring campaign expenditures to the influence that independent expenditure committees have on elections.

For the most part,residents feel democracy is alive and well in Santa Monica,however,special interest groups continue to have a greater impact on elections than in previous years, raising concerns that elected officials are being persuaded by big money,no longer owing their allegiance to constituents. Residents also spoke out against the multitude of mailers they receive, calling them misleading and a waste ofpaper. Paying up for cleaner races“ There is just way too much junk mail out there without any information on it ... and it’s bad for the environment,”said Valerie Griffin.

The meeting was scheduled after the council decided to put public financing on hold so that they could get a response from residents about whether or not they deemed it necessary.

Public financing has grown in popularity following last year’s election, during which independent expenditure commitees and candidates collectively spent around $500,000.Voters remarked the election season also featured some of the most negative campaigning in recent memory.

While most council members supported the concept of “voter-owned elections”and the goal of limiting the influence special interest groups have on local contests,several officials expressed concern about the potential costs of such an endeavor, citing a city staff report that estimated a price tag of at least $1.8 million per election if18 candidates were to participate in the voluntary program.

That figure doesn’t include the cost of administering the program, which would include routine audits, the distribution of funds under strict guidelines, and monitoring expenditures made by both participating and non-participating candidates.

“There are a lot of things that need to be flushed out, but I think it’s worth working with the public to come up with a community concept,” remarked Mayor Pro Tem Herb Katz during a debate in March. Under the proposal, candidates would have to raise $3,000 in qualifying contributions over three months to receive $50,000 in public money. Prospective candidates could raise a minimum of$5 per person or a maximum of$30. Once certified,a candidate would receive $50,000 in public funds. Candidates may also receive an additional $50,000, which would be used to respond to non-participating candidates and special interests groups that have spent in excess of$50,000.

NOT QUITE CUT AND DRY
Questions still remain. Would any resident be able to contribute to qualifying can- didates or only registered voters? How would City Hall pay for it, with money from the general fund or from a new tax?

City Clerk Maria Stewart, the director of records and election services, said she was pleased with the turnout on Tuesday and some ofthe suggestions made by the public, which included creating a full-time Council, more immediate reporting of campaign expenditures,term limits and ranked voting. “ I think people thought long and hard about what they wanted to say and were very thoughtful in their comments,”Stewart said. “ I think they are all interesting ideas. Anything that can help the City Council do outreach and connect better with the residents is a good thing.All had good ideas,but in the end,it is a matter of what the council wants to do and ifthere is funding available.”

Stewart said some of the suggestions, such as placing stricter limits on contributions that can be made to independent expenditure committees, may not be possible because of federal law protecting free- dom ofspeech and a lack ofresources. Stewart is expected to go back to the council this summer with her findings from the meeting and surveys completed online.

Ranked voting seemed to be as hot a topic as public financing, with former Mayor Mike Feinstein in strong support of a new system. Some voters feel the current system is flawed,prompting them to withhold their vote for one candidate out of fear that they may bump offtheir preferred choice once all the votes are tallied. In a ranked system, voters would prioritize their choices — from most desirable to the least. At present, residents vote for multiple candidates, with each vote carrying equal weight. This forces some to vote for only one or two candidates.

Other suggestions made by residents included holding more debates earlier in the process; increased fines for printing false information on campaign literature; creating a non-profit to monitor expenditures and coordinate candidate questionnaires; more monitoring of polling places to look for irregularities or malfunctioning machines; and publishing a monthly newsletter in which candidates could communicate directly with voters and respond to attacks.

Residents were also disappointed with the lack ofminority candidates. “ It’s hard enough to come forward and participate,let alone be heard on the same level of
the other candidates,”said John Petz,an education advocate who has been involved in campaigns to raise money for schools.“We need to find some way to level the playing field.” Petz suggested creating some kind of questionnaire that would be developed by residents for the candidates to review and complete. “ We need to create a conversation in our community of what it is to be a citizen,”Petz said. “We need to identify people who are living in the spirit ofSanta Monica.”