Campaign Funds

Most Americans will face the familiar IRS Form 1040 soon. Most probably do not realize that one of the major protections of our political system against undue influence is embedded on the 1040. This is the opportunity for taxpayers to check off whether they want $1 of their federal taxes to be set aside for the Presidential Election Campaign Fund, which provides public funding to presidential candidates who agree to abide by legal spending limits and to comply with disclosure requirements.

This reform was put into place during the Watergate era. As the history of that scandal fades, people have forgotten the purpose of the checkoff. The amount of dollars going to the fund has declined.

The purpose of using federal dollars to fund presidential campaigns is to reduce candidates’ dependence on special interests and to place candidates on a more equal financial footing in the campaign. This is not special interest money--it is, pure and simple, $1 from individual taxpayers paid into a Treasury fund and disbursed to candidates. The $1 checked off ($2 for joint returns) does not increase the taxes owed.

LOIS SAFFIAN, President, League of Women Voters, Los Angeles