Frankly, It’s an Outrage : Congressmen send taxpayer-financed mailings out of their districts

To encourage members of Congress to keep in touch with constituents, the federal government pays the postage on mail that they send home. But some legislators routinely use the so-called franking privilege for mailers sent outside their districts. This practice should be outlawed.

Rep. Bill Thomas (R-Bakersfield) has proposed legislation banning the use of public funds for out-of-district mailings. As Thomas succinctly puts it, the only defense for taxpayer support of mailers sent to non-constituents is that “it’s legal.” That’s not much of a reason.

Thomas’ measure deserves the support of the 45 members of California’s delegation. And this support should come before, not after, members exercise their franking privileges for campaign mailings.

Most members of Congress who send these taxpayer-financed mailers anticipate running in districts that have been redrawn to balance population after census counts. After the 1990 Census, for example, Republicans Dana Rohrabacher of Long Beach and Elton Gallegly of Simi Valley and Democrat George E. Brown Jr. of Colton chose to take advantage of the privilege.

In Rohrabacher’s case, taxpayers footed the bill for $18,000 in postage for 150,000 mailers sent to the new 45th District in Orange County, where he now is running.

Rohrabacher says he opposes public financing for such out-of-district mailings but questions why he should “unilaterally refrain” from exercising the privilege.

He’s right that he’s not alone, but that doesn’t excuse his use of the tax-supported frank, and it’s especially offensive coming from a conservative who purports to be so avidly anti-tax.

Practiced by either conservative Republicans or liberal Democrats, it’s wrong. Many members of Congress, such as Rep. Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach) and Rep. Anthony C. Beilenson (D-Los Angeles), refuse on principle to use the franking privilege for out-of-district mailers.

The time has come for Congress to outlaw sending out-of-district mailers--unless members want to pay the postage themselves.