Arizona Public Radio | Your Source for NPR News
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

House Panel Votes to Ask Voters Whether To Kill Public Financing of Elections

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/knau/local-knau-897622.mp3

Phoenix, AZ –
The Clean Elections system approved by voters in 1998 allows but
does not require candidates for statewide and legislative office
to get public funding for their campaigns. To qualify, they have
to get a set number of $5 donations to show public support. And
they have to agree not to take private donations. Nick Dranias of
the Goldwater Institute said government funding makes no sense.

(More great, we fear, the government controlling the very thing
that is supposed to control the government. The bottom line is,
when government funds elections it exercise a degree of influence
and control over the process that is supposed to check
government.)

But Todd Lang, director of the Citizens Clean Elections System,
said the repeal is being pushed by the O'Connor House Project, a
self-styled good government group. But he said this is really a
wolf in sheep's clothing. And he said he knows who the wolf is.

(It's the chamber of commerce, the folks who want to control the
elections, who want to decide who gets to run in the primary and
who is, quote/unquote, viable. Instead of letting the voters
vote, they want to take away Clean Elections so they'll be less
choices.)

If the full Legislature goes along, the issue will be before
voters in November. For Arizona Public Radio this is Howard
Fischer.