WASHINGTON INSIGHT

CHECKOFF BLUES: Taxpayers’ growing unwillingness to contribute to the presidential campaign fund is bad news for Democrats who seek to extend public financing to congressional races. Only 20% of income tax returns received by April 6 had checked off the box to contribute $1 to the presidential fund, down from a peak of 28% in 1980. Moreover, the fund was left with only $4 million after the 1992 election. At the current rate, it will be as much as $100 million short by the 1996 campaign, necessitating a congressional bailout. That spells trouble for Democrats proposing a $5 checkoff to help finance public subsidies in Senate and House races as a way to curb the dollar clout of political action committees. . . . “If President Clinton would use the bully pulpit to say reform was necessary, the checkoff rate might go up,” said an aide to Sen. Bill Bradley (D-N.J.), co-sponsor of a congressional checkoff bill. “The problem is, for the last 12 years we had Presidents who took the money and trashed the system.” . . . House Democratic leaders are polling their troops to gauge support for a checkoff plan that would give public funds and broadcast-advertising discounts to congressional candidates who accept voluntary spending limits. Republicans are adamantly opposed to the scheme.