by Roy C. Hengerson
You care about the environment, about clean air and water, about protecting parks and forests. You care about your health and the health of your family. So why should you support and work for passage of Proposition B on the November 7th ballot? Prop. B would help make Missouri elections fairer and begin to take the big special interest money out of our elections.
The current system of campaign financing is out of control and benefits those big money interests who can use their financial resources to unduly influence the outcome of elections and the votes of politicians elected with their support. Prop. B would halt the rising cost of campaigns, level the playing field for all candidates for public office, allow candidates to focus on the public interest rather than on raising huge amounts of money, and strengthen public confidence in our democracy.
Missouri voters have been asking for campaign finance reform for quite some time. However, bills in the state legislature have repeatedly been blocked. Politicians elected with the old system of big donor money are understandably reluctant to support reform. Fortunately, Missouri has the ballot initiative provision in its constitution so citizens can put measures to a vote of the people despite inaction by the legislature.
Prop. B would institute a system of public funding of state election campaigns for the state legislature and for the six statewide office holders. To participate, candidates would have to agree to abide by strict spending limits and accept no private contributions other than raising a certain amount of “seed money” in order to demonstrate that the candidate has a minimum level of public support. This “seed money” could not just come from their own resources or those of a few rich supporters, but a set number of $5 minimum contributions would be required, based on the importance of the office.
If a fair elections–funded candidate faced a race against a candidate who was privately funded, the fair elections–funded candidate’s spending limit would be raised to the level of his or her opponent. This matching provision would assure that all candidates have a level playing field for campaign funding, even against candidates who choose to raise money from wealthy special interests. The source of the funding for fair elections will come from limiting the corporate franchise tax rollback recently granted to Missouri’s largest for–profit corporations. The cost of the fair elections system is estimated at $10 to $11 million per election cycle, well worth it to clean up politics in Missouri. It is less than 1/10 of 1% of the state budget and, given that wealthy special interests get millions in special deals due to their influence, this can actually save taxpayers money.
Citizens concerned about their health and environment will benefit from reducing the influence of big money special interests on our elections. Studies on the voting records of politicians have repeatedly shown that there is a strong correlation between their big contributors and whose interests they represent in government. Politicians who receive the largest amounts of campaign contributions from big polluting industries and industries that exploit natural resources typically have the worst environmental voting records.
Clean money in clean elections will ultimately mean a cleaner environment for all of us. Prop. B can help Missouri show the way in the growing movement toward campaign finance reform. Four states have already enacted fair elections laws. Now it’s time for Missourians to step up to the challenge to reform our election process and restore confidence in state government.
We urge you to become involved in the campaign for fair elections. For more information contact: Roy Hengerson, Missouri Coalition for the Environment, 6267 Delmar – 2E, St. Louis, MO. 63130, 314–727–0600.
e–mail: royh@moenviron.org
website: www.moenviron.org