Ask the Governor to Veto Restrictions
on Campaign Finance Reform
September 18, 2007
AB 1430 (Garrick), a bill which would gut local campaign finance regulations
and preempt them with more lax state regulations, has been passed by
the Legislature and is on the Governor' desk.
ACTION NEEDED: Please contact
Governor Schwarzenegger and ask him to veto AB 1430. You can send
an e-mail. If you wish, copy the points below into the Web form;
leave the subject line blank. Phone
and fax information is available on the Governor's Web site by clicking
CONTACT. Forward this alert to as many friends and colleagues as you
can.
POINTS TO MAKE:
- AB 1430 would make it essentially impossible for a local jurisdiction
to regulate campaign communications from organizations, including
political parties, to their members. Cities and counties are concerned
that large contributions to political parties for such communications
can be used to circumvent contribution limits. This bill would prohibit
a local government from limiting such payments or placing restrictions
on their source, and would leave the door open for even broader
prohibitions.
- AB 1430 could restrict a municipality s ability to require reporting
of certain expenditures, lessening the information available to
the public and interfering with existing campaign finance regulatory
procedures.
- AB 1430 is an inappropriate restriction on the ability of local
governments to regulate their own elections. Contributions to parties
for spending on candidates to elective state office are limited
in state law. There is no reason why similar limitations at the
local level should not be allowed, should a municipality choose
to impose them.
- AB 1430 imposes one-size-fits-all disclosure laws for local elections.
AB 1430 s prohibitions cover not only contribution limits, but disclosure
as well.
LEAGUE POSITION:
The League of Women Voters believes that the methods of financing political
campaigns should ensure the public s right to know, combat corruption
and undue influence, enable candidates to compete more equitably for
public office and allow maximum citizen participation in the political
process.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Chris
Carson, LWVC Government Director.
KEEP US INFORMED: Send
an e-mail to let us know what action you have taken and any responses
you have received.
