The Next L.A. / Reinventing Our Future : Governing : IDEA FILE: Clean Government
How It Works: Imposes campaign contribution limits and a spending ceiling. Provides matching public funds and bans off-election-year fund raising. Requires lobbyists to register and to report income and spending. Computerizes all records for easy access by public and press.
Benefits: Opens up hidden relationships between office holders and special interests. Reduces influence of big campaign contributors. Allows the little guy to run. The only real headaches it would create are crooks’.
Short-term or Long-term Impact?: Long term.
Supporters: Those who feel shut out of the process, and who believe this would help rid Southland government of the back-room dealings that now dominate many decisions.
Opponents: Lobbyists and campaign contributors would balk at what they would consider undue regulation.
The costs: Undetermined short-term costs, big long-term savings from cleaner government.
REALITY CHECK: Most of these proposals have been around for some time, have been extensively studied and have worked elsewhere. Public pressure for them is increasing every year and chances of approval are getting better. Hands out of the public pocket and thumbs up.
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