Fundraising totals show Charlotte needs "voter-owned elections"

[wildeyed]

I am posting this from an email I received from Democracy NC. I think this is a non-partisan issue that will appeal to many different types of voters. Almost everyone I know has recently been involved in a neighborhood dispute with a developer. The developer always wins. And if you look at the campaign contributions, you can see why. Nearly every candidate has recently received a significant amount of money from a developer.

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Below is a breakdown of fundraising for Charlotte At-Large City Council Candidates (as of 10/24/05) from the Charlotte Observer. Combined, At-Large City Council candidates have raised over $633,000 thus far.

These totals, combined with totals for CMS school board, Charlotte District City Council, and Mayoral candidates puts total fundraising for local races over $1 million for the 2005 cycle (and this is only through Oct. 24).

Charlotte is the type city that would benefit greatly from a local system of public financing of campaigns.

It can be done.

Recently, Portland, OR and Albuquerque, NM have enacted their own systems of local "Voter-Owned Elections" that allows candidates to raise small qualifying contributions from local citizens and then receive public financing to run a competitive campaign.

In Albuquerque, local citizens voted more than 2-to-1 or 69% in favor of local public financing.

Let's hope that some discussion of campaign finance reform comes up in the new Charlotte City Council (and CMS School Board).

Democracy North Carolina/Charlotte is committed to working with local organizations that would like to see local campaign reform become a reality. The current system needs to be fixed. It's burdensome on candidates who have to raise large amounts of money and it alienates voters.

To read more about full public financing in Albuquerque, NM and Portland, OR, go to: www.publicampaign.org.



Candidates tally big bucks, bills in effort to win over voters

RICHARD RUBIN

Staff Writer


Three candidates for Charlotte City Council at-large have topped the $100,000 mark in money raised, according to campaign finance reports.

Voters will choose at-large four council members Tuesday. The candidates have spent the funds to make sure they are in mailboxes, on billboards, on the radio, in newspapers and on TV.

Here are some highlights of the reports, which cover contributions and spending through Oct. 24. Some candidates started this year with cash left over from previous campaigns:

Click here for amounts: http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/local/13101328.htm

[GreenInNC]

1. Democracy Charlotte

Dem NC has an offshoot here in town. We meet every first Wednesday at 6:30 at the Aquatic Center on 2nd Street.

[wildeyed]

2. See you there!

:hi: