Los Angeles Welcomes Fair Elections

Media Contact:

March 9, 2011

Katie Fleming (916) 443-1792

Los Angeles Welcomes Fair Elections

Measure H Passes 75% to 25%

Los Angeles – It was a glorious night for many last night when the results came in giving the Los Angeles ballot Measure H a huge victory. The measure bans contract bidders from donating to city candidate campaigns while also strengthening the public financing system.

“This victory is proof that people are ready for change. Money in politics is out of control in this country. With the kind of common sense reforms that Measure H will bring the City of Los Angeles, citizens have stated clearly that elections should belong to voters, not special interests” said Kathay Feng, Executive Director for California Common Cause. “Measure H is a stake in the ground against the national efforts to erode campaign rules we have seen recently.”

“Pay-to-play” politics has long been a problem concerning reform groups across the country. When politicians have to focus on raising money to be re-elected, sometimes spending many hours a day “dialing for dollars” and going to special interest fundraisers, it means less time for constituents.

“Measure H will make it possible for elected officials to be more responsive to their constituents, not just wealthy special interests,” said Kathay Feng.

“H is for Honesty,” was the campaign slogan of the coalition that included League of Women Voters of Los Angeles, California Clean Money Campaign, California Common Cause, California Nurses Association, California Church IMPACT, California NOW, California Participation Project, California Partnership, Consumer Federation of California, Change Congress, Coffee Party – Los Angeles, Democracy Matters, Los Angeles Federation of Labor, National Korean American Service & Education Consortium, Public Campaign, Public Citizen, Youth Speak Collective, William C. Velasquez Institute, Anahuak Youth Sports Association, El Centro del Pueblo, Community Union, CBO (Consejo Binacional Organizaciones Comunitarias), Eric Garcetti, Council President, City of Los Angeles (Measure H co-author) and Jos‘ Huizar, Councilmember, City of Los Angeles (Measure H co-author), Los Angeles County Democratic Party, Democratic Party of the San Fernando Valley, Democracy for America, Green Party of Los Angeles, Progressive Democratic Club, Progressive Democrats of Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley Greens, Stonewall Democratic Club, and Valley Democrats United.

California Common Cause is a nonpartisan, nonprofit advocacy organization founded in 1970 as a vehicle for citizens to make their voices heard in the political process and to hold their elected leaders accountable to the public interest.

www.commoncause.org/ca