Memorandum
in
Support
of
the
Fair
Elections
Act:
Voluntary
Public
Financing
for
State
Elections
May
11,
2012
2012
Campaign
Finance
Reform
Act:
S3584
‐
B
(Adams)
2012
Fair
Elections
Act:
A9885
‐
C
(Silver),
same
as
S7036
‐
A
(Sampson)
We
are
writing
to
express
strong
support
for
the
Fair
Elections
Act,
which
would
enact
a
voluntary
public
financing
system
for
New
York
State
legislative
and
statewide
candidates.
SEIU
32BJ
represents
over
120,000
working
families,
70,000
of
whom
live
and
work
in
New
York.
As
doormen
and
supers,
office
and
school
cleaners,
handypersons,
and
security
officers,
32BJ
members
play
an
important
role
in
maintaining
the
homes,
workplace
and
security
of
New
Yorkers,
and
are
invested
in
the
political
life
of
their
state.
While
32BJ
participates
in
the
current
campaign
finance
system
and
regularly
contributes
to
state
electoral
campaigns,
we
strongly
support
a
Fair
Elections
system
because
voluntary
public
financing
has
proven
to
shift
political
power
towards
average
New
Yorkers—and
away
from
wealthy
donors—serving
our
members
far
more
effectively
than
big
checks.
Specifically,
a
strong
system
to
publicly
finance
elections
would:
•
Allow
elected
officials
to
make
progress
in
addressing
the
many
problems
that
affect
the
working
people
of
the
State
of
New
York.
Currently,
legislators’
efforts
are
often
blocked
or
watered
down
by
corporate
donors.
•
Free
candidates
and
incumbent
legislators
from
the
arduous
task
of
raising
large
amounts
of
private
money
every
two
years
in
order
to
ensure
they
can
be
competitive
in
an
election.
•
Promote
civic
participation
and
increase
the
impact
of
the
local
activists
who
knock
on
doors,
work
the
phones
and
organize
house
parties
during
election
season
The
legislature
should
act
now
to
pass
a
system
of
Fair
Elections
that
includes
matching
funds
for
small
donations,
reasonable
contribution
limits
to
all
candidates
and
adequate
administration
and
enforcement
of
the
program.
In
his
State
of
the
State
address,
Governor
Cuomo
expressed
his
intention
to
pass
public
financing
of
elections
this
year.
All
members
of
the
legislature
should
follow
suit.
If
you
have
any
questions,
please
contact
LaShaun
Lesley
at
llesley@seiu32bj.org
or
917841
‐
7071.
2012 Campaign Finance Reform Act: S3584-B (Adams)2012 Fair Elections Act: A9885-C (Silver), same as S7036-A (Sampson)
LEGISLATIVE MEMO: May 3, 2012
Support Fair-Elections:Create a Public Financing System
2012 Campaign Finance Reform Act: S3584-B (Adams)2012 Fair Elections Act: A9885-C (Silver), same as S7036-A (Sampson)
What is a System of “Public Financing”?
Instead of candidates running for office by raising large contributions from corporate specialinterests and wealthy donors, publicly-financed elections allow candidates to run for office withsmall donations from people in their community and receive public funds to run a competitivecampaign.
Background: Why do we need Public Financing?
Big money corporate special interests and their lobbyists hold too much sway over our stategovernment. Voter-owned elections would empower small donors and reduce the influence of wealthy interests in Albany. CWA lobbies and makes campaign donations. But we are under noillusions: we are hugely out-gunned by the rich and the powerful, whether it’s corporations likeVerizon or wealthy people who can hire connected lobbyists and write large campaign checks.CWA members are no different from the 99% of New Yorkers: they cannot write bigcampaign checks or hire lobbyists to make their voices heard. Each year, the arms race of spendingand insider lobbying makes the problem worse. Disclosed lobbying reached $220 million in 2011and State-level election spending reached $246 million in 2010.
What would a strong system of public financing allow?
Elected officials could work more consistently on the many problems that affect the workingand low-income people of the State of New York. Currently, legislators’ efforts are oftenblocked or watered down by corporate donors and wealthy people who dominate the system.
Candidates and incumbent legislators would not have to spend so much time raising largeamounts of private money every two years from the rich and special interests.
Citizen activists who are not wealthy could have more impact on the system through smalldonations and by knocking on doors, working the phones and organizing house partiesduring election season.
Following Governor Cuomo’s State of the State Support for Public Financing,the State Legislature should act now and pass a system of Fair Elections thatincludes matching funds for small donations, reasonable contribution limits toall candidates and adequate administration and enforcement of the program.
For more information contact CWA District 1 at 212-344-2515
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