Clean Money
In this section:
What is Clean Money?
Recent State and Local Developments
Clean Money Talking Points
Clean Money FAQ
Drafting a Public Financing Ordinance or Legislation
Clean Money Resources
National Clean Money Efforts
What is Clean Money?
Clean Money creates a voluntary system of public financing for elections. Clean Money systems vary, but typically limit political contributions to candidates and/or ballot measures in exchange for public money for campaigns. Clean Money ensures that people with true grassroots support will be able to mount credible campaigns without having to rely on wealthy donors.
Recent State and Local Developments
October, 2008: Fair Elections Bill Passed!
California Common Cause (CCC) activists helped pass two very important reform bills through the Legislature! Thanks to a tremendous push by Common Causers, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger heeded your thousands of calls, letters and emails and signed the bills into law.
The first bill, AB 583, authored by Assembly member Loni Hancock, will place a pilot Fair Elections program of full public financing for Secretary of State elections onto the 2010 primary ballot. It will allow candidates for Secretary of State to run for office without having to raise big money from special interests. In coordination with a large coalition, led by CA Clean Money Campaign, CCC has been working diligently to reduce the influence of big money in campaigns. Your calls and emails made the difference in convincing the Legislature and the Governor to support Fair Elections! We'll have a big effort on our hands to educate voters about the program over the next 18 months, but for now it is time to celebrate.
July 9, 2007: AB 583 is now a two-year bill which means it will be considered by the Senate in the next Legislative session. The good news is that AB 583 won't get caught up in the first month crush at the beginning of the next session. What's more, we'll be able to develop a focused strategy to build much broader support for the bill in the Senate and work with Senate fiscal experts to identify a workable funding source for the pilot project, as well as for the larger statewide program and place this bill on the ballot in 2008! AB 583 creates a pilot project of full public financing of campaigns in order to show that it will work as well in California as it has in other states. It establishes a public financing system for the 2010 races for Governor, Insurance Commissioner, 1 Assembly seat and 1 Senate seat. Publicly financed campaigns guarantee that elected officials are accountable to the voters, not special interests. Click here to learn more about the bill.
California Assembly in Session Until Late at Night, Passes "Clean Money,"
By Frank D. Russo, California Progress Report, June 7, 2007
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Into the evening, the Assembly passed AB 583 (Assemblymember Loni Hancock's campaign finance reform bill, by a vote of 45-34. In its amended form, AB 583 will serve as a pilot program and allow California voters and candidates to see how a Clean Money system would actually work in California in the 2010 races for Governor, Insurance Commissioner, and one open Assembly and Senate seat. It now moves to the Senate for consideration. To see Assemblymember Hancock's closing statement on the bill, click here.
New Coalition Tackles Big Money in Local Campaigns
By Jorge Casuso, The Lookout News, May 8, 2007
Worried that “money is having a destructive effect on public policy,” a group of Santa Monica residents and community groups have formed a coalition to lessen the growing importance of private funding on local politics.
Called the Voter-Owned Transparent Elections for Santa Monica (VOTE4SM), the group includes California Common Cause, the Santa Monica Democratic Club, the California Clean Money Campaign, Southern California Americans for Democratic Action and Santa Monica's five major neighborhood groups.
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“This kind of system promotes competition by enabling more candidates -- and from more diverse backgrounds -- to seek office, and reduces their dependence on special-interest contributions,” said Marcy Koukhab, LA organizer for California Common Cause and Santa Monica resident. (continued)
Council to Explore Public Campaign Financing
By Olin Ericksen, The LookOut, March 13, 2007
With local election spending rising dramatically since 2002, a divided City Council Tuesday night will debate the cost of carving out large chunks of public funding for candidates who want it.
Anyone vying for a seat on the City Council could qualify for $100,000 or more in City seed and matching grant money under the staff-drafted plan - provided they can privately raise at least $3,000 and then only use public funds. (continued)
Council explores campaign reforms
By Julie Patel, Mercury News, March 8, 2007
Sunnyvale council members have taken the first steps toward sweeping campaign-finance reforms, calling for an advisory measure on the November ballot that asks voters if they want to make Sunnyvale the first city in California to publicly finance elections.
The council also voted Tuesday to have the city's ethics committee explore voluntary spending limits for candidates and city-distributed mailers with information about candidates and campaign ethics. If reforms materialize, it would mark a huge shift for a city where the seven elected council members each spent more than their opponents and a few powerful groups are fueling most campaign costs. (continued)
Campaign finance reform gets hearing
By Aaron Kinney, San Mateo County Times, January 4, 2007
BURLINGAME - The City Council has agreed to pursue several possible methods of campaign finance reform, following a study session at City Hall.
The council settled on a range of options Tuesday, including a potential spending limit for campaign donors that would restrict donations from individuals to between $300 and $500, depending on the limit the council may approve, and cap corporate contributions at between $600 and $1,000. (continued)
Clean Money Talking Points
Suggested Talking Points for Clean Money:
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Clean Money increases voter participation and restores trust in government.
- Clean Money makes elections more competitive and give voters more choice.
- Clean Money is one of the few ways to address independent expenditures.
- Clean Money reform helps control the spiraling cost of campaigns.
- The Clean Election reforms have benefited Republicans and Democrats alike.
Fair Elections Now Act June 15, 2007 UPDATE: Please Call Senator Dianne Feinstein and ask ger to Pass S. 1285 - the Fair Elections Now Act - Out of the Senate Rules Committee on Wednesday, June 20th! S. 1285 will be heard by the Senate Rules Committee this coming Wednesday, June 20. California Senator Dianne Feinstein is the Chair of this critical committee. Additionally, she is an influential "middle of the road" senator whose support will be a big boost for the bill
Clean Money FAQ
Click here to for Clean Money FAQ
Drafting a Public Financing Ordinance or Legislation
Writing Reform
A report/manual from the Brennan Center's for those drafting public financing ordinances or Legislation.
CLEAN MONEY - CLEAN CITIES Conference Materials
Materials from Common Cause's March 2007 conferences on enacting public financing at the local level.
Clean Money Resources
Click here to learn more about public financing and why California Common Cause supports it.
Click here for an informational sheet on public financing
Public Financing Laws in Local Jurisdictions (2005)
A look at the laws of the 12 local jurisdictions in the United States that have public financing programs (as of 2005), compiled by the Center for Governmental Studies (CGS).
Keeping It Clean: Public Financing in American Elections (2006)
This report, from CGS, analyzes the effectiveness of state and local clean money systems. It also contains charts summarizing the main components of all state and local clean money systems in the U.S.
Clean Elections Candidates in Three States Win Dozens of State Office Seats
A breakdown of the November, 2006 winning clean money candidates in the three states with clean money systems - Maine, Arizona and South Carolina, compiled by California Common Cause.
Click here to read the testimony of Executive Director Kathay Feng in support of Clean Money, before the Assembly Elections Committee.
Click here for a 2002 PowerPoint presenting 2002 focus group findings indicating support from minorities for full public financing of elections.
National Clean Money Efforts
The Fair Elections Now Act was introduced in the U.S. Congress by Sens. Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) and is a bill that would establish a voluntary full public financing system for Senate races.
Senator Feinstein needs to hear from her constituents today. She needs to know that Californians support full public funding of Senatorial election campaigns.
Senator Feinstein's Offices:
San Francisco: (415) 393-0707
Los Angeles: (310) 914-7300
San Diego: (619) 231-9712
Fresno: (559) 485-7430
Washington, DC: (202) 224-3841
Please Call Now! It will just take a minute, and every call makes a difference! Short and simple is best, for example, “We need to pass S. 1285, the Fair Elections Now Act, to remove the influence of big money on political campaigns, and I'm calling to ask that Senator Feinstein help lead the way by supporting the bill.”
Please visit Common Causes' new website StopTheMoneyChase to learn more about this important piece of legislation.
Additional resources on The Fair Elections Now Act:
A short summary of the Fair Elections Now Act
FAQ's about the Fair Elections Now Act
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Fair Elections Now Act
Click here to learn more about Common Cause's national Clean Money efforts.