Campaign Limit: Business as Usual

I appreciate the extensive analysis of the influence of big money in Orange County supervisorial elections presented by The Times (“Contribution Limits Could Cut Both Ways,” Sept. 22). But there is a big problem. The analysis was based on the proposed $1,000 limit for individual contributions to election campaigns.

The problem is that a $1,000 contribution is still really a business investment in an elected official. Even in affluent Orange County, few of us can afford such a contribution on the basis of our public-spirited concern for our common interests. No, the $1,000 limit would be more appropriately called the $1,000 loophole whereby individuals can be used to cover for the true business interest implied by such an investment.

The electoral campaign reform we need to bring our elections back to the grass roots, back to a government of, by and for the people is a $100 limit. That’s the only way we can get rid of the supervisors we now have who are de facto employees of the developers and replace them with responsible representatives of residents of this community.

This applies to elections at the state and national levels as well.

BERNARD FELDMAN

Laguna Hills