Campaign Finance Reform

By Susan L. Adams

Election to public office should not depend on who acquires the largest "war chest", but rather on who would best serve in the office.

I will work for the day when candidates are questioned about the issues and not about their money. I will work for a future where prospective candidates will be allowed to run on equal footing with other candidates regardless of personal income and campaign "war chests". I would like to see limits on raising and spending money that would not exceed the annual salary of the office being sought. I would like to see limits on the amount of money PACs and special interest groups can donate.

I am personally living the example of campaign reform. I am using public forums, public television, newspaper interviews, and public appearances to present my message to the district. I have received an endorsement from the California Nurses Association but declined the PAC money. I applaud the League of Women Voters for supplying this web page for public viewing.

But more can be done. Public candidate materials should be mailed to each voter's home for all elected offices. Television and radio time should be allowed for candidate forums.

I encourage all voters to review how much money is collected and spent by each candidate. Then think about how all of that money could better be utilized for health care, education, child care, homeless shelters, food kitchens, and other more worthy causes.

It's time for individual citizens and not special interest groups to determine who will represent them in Sacramento. It's time to redirect our resources into programs that will benefit the community and not into overloaded "war chests". I will work for stronger campaign finance reform in Sacramento.