HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0528.003 2008-2010
i
County Council 9 AM Wed. Nov. 3, 2009
Ben Franklin Bldg, Hilo
Ms. Cory (Martha) Harden, PO Box 10265, Hilo, Occupied Hawaii 96721
808-968-8965 mh(a~_interpac.net
Support Resolution 238-09 requesting amendments to public funding for elections
Thank you to Councilmember Pete Hoffmann for proposing needed improvements to Hawai'I
County's public funding program.
Monday's headlines show why we need publicly funded elections. U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye
is "trying to direct $2.2 million in taxpayer money", for equipment that was rejected by the
Navy, to a company that gave $29,000 to his campaign. "It's all part of a pattern" says
Associated Press. Inouye "is sponsoring almost three-dozen provisions that would spend
more than $200 million on projects in Hawaii that the Pentagon generally does not want..."
Eleven companies whose employees or political action committees-contributed to Inouye's
campaign will benefit from earmarks sponsored by Inouye. "...congressional watchdogs say
the donations and earmarks are questionable... Inouye refused repeated interview requests..."
and companies did not comment. [Inouye flexes political muscle, Hawaii Tribune-Herald, 11-
2-09]
The U.S. House of Representatives ethics committee recently reviewed "seven lawmakers on
the House Appropriations defense subcommittee who have steered federal money to... [a
lobbying] firm's clients and have also received large campaign contributions." [Dozens in
Congress under ethics inquiry, Washington Post, 10-30-09]
I'm not saying incidents at this level happen in our County, but that private campaign money
can make preferential treatment more likely.
Coming back to our Hawai'i County public funding program, Councilmember Yoshimoto is
concerned that taxpayer money should not pay for campaigns. Councilmember Enriques is
concerned that raising the public funding limit might cost the public more than $100,000 for
administration. But what about the long-term costs to taxpayers from private campaign
money?
In Arizona, there is a Clean Elections program which requires a certain number of.quaiifying
$5 contributions from state residents. These donors had a far different profile than "typical big
donors." The $5 donors were more diverse racially, ethnically, economically, and
geographically. They also lived in Arizona, while privately funded campaigns collected large
amounts from out of state. Clean elections sounds like better democracy to me. [All Over the
Map: Small Donors bring Diversity to Arizona's elections, Public Campaign website]
For our County program, I won't be surprised if there are eleventh-hour attempts to derail it.
But for now, please support this resolution to improve it.
C..
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96#, Date miniv 0-4-2022