WHY IS THERE NO PUBLIC FINANCING OF ALL
ELECTIONS? WHY IS THERE NO EQUAL SPENDING LIMITS?
IS OUR STATE FOR SALE?
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That's because the spending limits apply only if all candidates in a race participate in
the public-match program. In [Charles J. Fogarty]'s case, his opponent - [Carcieri] -
did not participate. Once Carcieri's spending went beyond the limit for the
matching-funds program, Fogarty was allowed to go over the limit as well, and keep
up with Carcieri, who spent a total of $2.08 million.
Carcieri's campaign has disparaged Fogarty for "forcing" taxpayers to finance his
campaign. Fogarty has said the matching- funds program was what enabled him to
pose a real challenge to Carcieri, a wealthy retired businessman who pumped more
than $1 million of his own money into the 2002 campaign.
Arizona's spending limits are lower than Rhode Island's. For instance, the spending
limit for the general election in the governor's race in 2004 was $645,224 - less than
the maximum public match in the Rhode Island governor's race, and less than a third
of the spending limit for a gubernatorial candidate in Rhode Island who takes public
matching funds.
Full Text (1272 words)
Copyright Providence Journal/Evening Bulletin Dec 12, 2006
That's nearly three times the amount distributed in 2002; nearly half the money goes
to Lt. Gov. Charles Fogarty's run for governor.
* * *
This campaign season, the state Board of Elections parceled out nearly $2 million in
public money to political candidates.
As the last checks are issued, it's time for newly elected officials and policy groups to
take stock of Rhode Island's public matching-funds program and start thinking about
how they might tinker with it in the new legislative session.
The exact total given out through the program this year: $1,965,171. That's nearly
three times what was paid out in 2002, the last election for state general offices, and
more than twice the amount the state budget included for the program this year.
While the state income-tax form does contain a check box to set aside $5 to finance
the matching-funds program, the checkoffs don't generate enough money to pay for
the whole program. In fact, even the money set aside through the checkoff comes
from the state, not from taxpayers who check the box. In other words, the program
is financed through state general revenues, not through voluntary contributions by
taxpayers.
Still, the program is "a good investment," said Gary S. Sasse, executive director of
the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council.
"It's an expenditure to open up the political process," Sasse said. "In the long run, the
more candidates participate in public funding, the less influence interest groups have
on campaigns."
Besides, Sasse said, "$2 million in a $3-billion budget is not significant."
In Rhode Island, candidates for governor have the most to gain by the public-match
program. Lt. Gov. Charles J. Fogarty, who challenged Governor Carcieri's bid for a
second term, got the maximum public match of $981,000.
In the governor's race, for a candidate who participates in the matching-funds
program, the spending limit is $1.96 million - but Fogarty spent roughly $100,000
more than that.
That's because the spending limits apply only if all candidates in a race participate in
the public-match program. In Fogarty's case, his opponent - Carcieri - did not
participate. Once Carcieri's spending went beyond the limit for the matching-funds
program, Fogarty was allowed to go over the limit as well, and keep up with
Carcieri, who spent a total of $2.08 million.
However much Carcieri ultimately spent, Fogarty would have been allowed to keep
up, as long as he could keep raising private money. The maximum amount of public
money a candidate can get does not change, no matter how much an opponent
spends.
Carcieri's campaign has disparaged Fogarty for "forcing" taxpayers to finance his
campaign. Fogarty has said the matching- funds program was what enabled him to
pose a real challenge to Carcieri, a wealthy retired businessman who pumped more
than $1 million of his own money into the 2002 campaign.
In Rhode Island this year, both major-party candidates participated in the
matching-funds program in three races - for lieutenant governor, secretary of state
and general treasurer. For each of those candidates, total spending was capped at
$490,000, although again, there's an exception: Candidates are allowed to spend
more if they face a primary election as well as the general election.
State Sen. Elizabeth H. Roberts, who takes office as lieutenant governor Jan. 2, had
both a Democratic primary and a general- election opponent. She spent $650,000
from her campaign fund between Jan. 1 and Dec. 4, the end of the last reporting
period.
Roberts has said she participated in the public matching-funds program because she
believes in the program in principle. However, Roberts' campaign manager, Paul
Tencher, said yesterday that Roberts would like to see the General Assembly change
the formula for spending limits for candidates with a primary race. Right now,
primary spending is capped at a third of the overall cap - or this year, $163,333 for
candidates for any office except governor - no matter how much an opponent
spends.
The current formula discourages candidates from participating in the matching-funds
program if they anticipate a primary fight with a moneyed opponent, Tencher said.
Christine Lopes, executive director of Common Cause of Rhode Island, also has
some suggestions for tweaking Rhode Island's system.
Lopes said Common Cause will be supporting Clean Elections legislation similar to
what's on the books in Maine and Arizona. The key difference is that in those states,
campaigns for the offices eligible for matching funds are financed completely with
public money, totally independent of private contributions. Candidates qualify for the
public money by receiving $5 donations from a certain number of eligible voters, then
turn over that money to the public-match program and forgo raising further money
from donors.
Rhode Island's program depends on candidates raising private donations in order to
qualify for the public money. The state matches donations according to a complex
formula, but the basic match rate is either 2-for-1 or 1-for-1, depending on the
amount of the private contribution.
In Rhode Island this year, besides Fogarty, three other candidates got the maximum
public match (which, for down-ticket races, is $245,000): Roberts; her Republican
opponent, Reginald A. Centracchio; and North Providence Mayor A. Ralph Mollis,
the newly elected secretary of state.
Other candidates got smaller amounts. State Sen. Frank T. Caprio, the Democrat
who was elected general treasurer, got $168,000. Sue Stenhouse, the Republican
candidate for secretary of state, got $74,000. And Andrew M. Lyon, the Republican
candidate for general treasurer, got $6,800.
A system with complete public financing of campaigns "effectively removes the
influence of special-interest money from the political process" and more effectively
helps candidates take on incumbents or well-connected opponents, said Lopes of
Common Cause.
In Maine, the total amount of private money in campaigns decreased significantly
between 1996, when the Clean Elections law was adopted, and 2002, according to
a study by the Center for Public Policy & Administration in Massachusetts.
However, Maine also strictly limited the maximum private contribution amount for
candidates financing their campaigns through private contributions - from a previous
limit of $1,000 down to $250.
Arizona's program parceled out $4.3 million to candidates in 2004. Maine's program
distributed $2.1 million in public funds in 2002, the last year the report analyzed.
Arizona's spending limits are lower than Rhode Island's. For instance, the spending
limit for the general election in the governor's race in 2004 was $645,224 - less than
the maximum public match in the Rhode Island governor's race, and less than a third
of the spending limit for a gubernatorial candidate in Rhode Island who takes public
matching funds.
Maine's spending limit for the governor's race is closer to Rhode Island's. Maine's
program gives each candidate up to $1.8 million in public funds, as long as an
opponent spends that much. However, that cap is a true cap - no candidate gets
more, no matter how much an opponent spends.
In the years since Rhode Island passed its public matching-funds law, the state has
seen record-setting spending in governor's races - in 1990, when Bruce Sundlun
spent $4.3 million, and in 2002, when total spending in a five-way race surpassed $9
million.
The flexible nature of Rhode Island's spending caps "doesn't defeat the purpose" of
the program, said Sasse, of RIPEC, "but it waters it down a little bit."
egudrais@projo.com / (401) 277-7045
* * *
Public financing of campaigns
Charles J. Fogarty, D, governor, $981,000
Elizabeth H. Roberts, D, lieut. governor, $245,000
Reginald A. Centracchio, R, lieut. governor, $245,000
A. Ralph Mollis, D, secretary of state, $245,000
Frank T. Caprio, D, general treasurer, $168,041
Sue A. Stenhouse, R, secretary of state, $74,310
Andrew M. Lyon III, R, general treasurer, $6,820
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