Subject: Reform Is In The Air

From: "Kathay Feng, Common Cause California" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 13:13:15 -0700

Dear Common Cause California Activist,

Thank you to everyone who took the time to call our state legislative leaders about redistricting reform.  They were overwhelmed!  Our grassroots activism has resulted in Assembly hearings on April 14th. 

In fact, Sen. Don Perata (D - Oakland) said in the LA Times, "We originally said it's a non-starter.  We've come a long ways now, saying we're willing to sit down and work something out."  (www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-arnold13apr13,1,1069276.story)

But, I write to you today about another critical reform we need to push - campaign finance reform.  Asm. Loni Hancock (D - Berkeley) has introduced a "clean money" bill, AB 583 (www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/ab_0551-0600/ab_583_bill_20050413_amended_asm.html).  Her bill will create a voluntary system of financing elections where qualified candidates receive public money (a block grant whose amount is determined by the office the candidate is running for) in exchange for accepting spending limits.  There are protections in place if a candidate is opposed by a wealthy candidate who "opts out" of the system or is the subject of an independent expenditure campaign.

Maine (www.state.me.us/ethics/MCEA.htm) and Arizona(www.ccec.state.az.us/ccecweb/ccecays/home.asp) have clean money systems, that increase voter turnout and legislator responsiveness.  Our National President Chellie Pingree, formerly a Maine senator, has personal experience advocating this issue:

"The majority of the Maine state legislature runs under the clean money system and the difference is dramatic.  With the tremendous change this law has made to Maine politics, not only does money have much less influence in the state today but our politicians spend more time in their campaigns talking to voters - not donors."

We want to make the same difference in cleaning up California's election system.  In a state as large as California, election costs can spiral out of control, making candidates increasingly dependent on corporate donors and wealthy individuals.  Without an alternative system of public financing, candidates who pander to affluent interests will always have the advantage in reaching voters.

The first vote on AB 583 will be on April 19th in the Assembly Elections Committee.  Contact Elections Committee Chair Asm. Tom Umberg and Vice Chair Asm. Michael Villines, especially if you live in Orange County.  Let them know you are a Common Cause member and tell them you want the committee to approve clean money elections for our state.

	Asm. Tom Umberg (D - Santa Ana, Anaheim), Chair - call (916) 319-2069
	Asm. Michael Villines (R - Clovis), Vice Chair - call (916) 319-2029

Also, please put in a couple of additional calls to Asm. Mark Leno and Asm. Lloyd Levine, thanking them for their indications of voting yes on this bill:

	Asm. Mark Leno (D - San Francisco) - call (916) 319-2013
	Asm. Lloyd Levine (D - Van Nuys) - call (916) 319-2040

Thank you, once again, for your commitment to holding our representatives accountable!

Kathay Feng
Executive Director, California Common Cause

P.S. You can also tell these representatives that you support an independent redistricting commission and urge them to support a bipartisan bill.

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