Thursday, March 29, 2007
AUGUSTA - Maine taxpayers gave gubernatorial candidates more than $3 million
for campaigns last year. Just imagine what the cost might have been if more
than four candidates had qualified for money from the state's Clean Election
Fund.
With that in mind, several legislators, the state agency that oversees
public financing and an advocacy group are trying to make it harder for
future Blaine House hopefuls to dip into the state treasury.
They say the number of publicly financed candidates could grow so large in
future elections that the Clean Election Fund would be strapped for cash and
the public could lose confidence in the system.
"I think we need to set a higher standard," said House Speaker Glenn
Cummings, D-Portland, the sponsor of one of the bills. "The number of
candidates and the expense is something that puts a strain on the system."
The state needs safeguards to exclude "frivolous candidates" and preserve
public confidence, said Jonathan Wayne, executive director of the state
Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices.
Opponents argue that the system works, contending that weak candidates who
lacked public support or organizational muscle were weeded out last year.
They say tougher rules would disenfranchise independent candidates, who lack
a party apparatus to help them qualify, and give political parties a
stranglehold on the electoral system.
Under the Clean Election Act, which voters passed in 1996, public financing
is available for qualified legislative and gubernatorial candidates.
Although more than 300 legislative candidates received public financing last
year, the push to tighten eligibility is focused primarily on the governor's
race because the costs are so high.
Three of the five gubernatorial candidates who were on the ballot last
November -- Green Independent Pat LaMarche, independent Barbara Merrill and
Republican Chandler Woodcock -- used the Clean Election Fund to finance
their campaigns. Republican Peter Mills used the fund in his bid to win the
GOP nomination in June, which he lost to Woodcock.
Each of the three publicly funded gubernatorial candidates on the ballot in
November received between $915,000 and $1.3 million. Mills got $200,000 in
the primary. By contrast, the average amount distributed to legislative
candidates was $25,644 in Senate races and $6,415 in House races.
The law allows, but does not require, gubernatorial candidates who want
public financing to start by raising "seed money" from private contributors,
which can be spent to build name recognition before the next step in the
process.
That second step requires each gubernatorial candidate to collect at least
2,500 "qualifying contributions" of $5 each from Maine voters -- $12,500 per
candidate. That money goes into the Clean Election Fund to supplement the
tax dollars that provide most of the money for the state's public-financing
program.
Most of the reforms that have been proposed in the Legislature would tighten
up one or both steps. For example, Cummings' bill would force each
gubernatorial candidate who wants taxpayer funding to first raise at least
$15,000 in seed money. The candidate would then have to collect 3,250
qualifying contributions, producing added revenue for the Clean Election
Fund.
Several other bills are variations on that theme. One exception is a bill
filed by Sen. Elizabeth Schneider, D-Orono, which calls for a study of how
to change state law so only one independent gubernatorial candidate could
qualify for public financing in each election.
Merrill was the only independent candidate who made the cut last year, but
six other independents had hoped to get public financing.
Backers of tighter controls say all of the gubernatorial candidates who
received public financing last year were legitimate. But, they add, at least
some of the six candidates who failed to qualify had limited support and
voters might have become disenchanted if such candidates had received public
financing.
"It wouldn't take but one big overuse of the system to generate a different
(public) attitude," said Mills, the former candidate and a state senator.
Alison Smith of Maine Citizens for Clean Elections echoed that sentiment,
predicting that more candidates eventually will qualify for tax dollars
unless the Legislature takes steps now to raise the bar.
"We want to make sure the qualifying process is a real measure of public
support for the candidate," she said.
Supporters of the status quo say the existing rule is plenty tough because
the candidate must explain the Clean Election Act to 2,500 voters before
asking each for a $5 check or money order -- the state will not accept cash
contributions.
"It's really difficult to overstate how tough it is" to meet that threshold,
said Chris Jackson, who managed Woodcock's campaign.
"It was touch-and-go," Merrill said of her race. "When you make it more
difficult for independent candidates to qualify, you also make it difficult
for lesser-known candidates to qualify."
Still, Cummings predicted that the Legislature will tighten the rules, in
part because tax-conscious voters are watching for government waste these
days.
"There's a lot of concern out there that money is well spent," he said.
Staff Writer Paul Carrier can be contacted at 622-7511 or at: