Push Begins for Rival Campaign Reform Acts

Signaling a growing mistrust of politicians, citizen activists will kick off two campaigns in Orange County today aimed at drastically altering how political campaigns are financed.

Both the Anti-Corruption Act of 1996 and its rival measure, the California Political Reform Act, contend that money is at the root of all political evil, and both would dramatically reduce the amount that individuals and special-interest groups can contribute to campaigns at the state level.

The acts would also prevent incumbents from amassing huge war chests that effectively freeze out any competition from new office seekers.

But the Anti-Corruption Act also aspires to trigger a constitutional challenge to a state Supreme Court ruling that allows big money to be spent on behalf of candidates. Many reformers believe that ruling allows contributors to get around spending limits.

“The whole idea is to get the small donor into the picture, not just the guys with all the money,” explained former Irvine Mayor Larry Agran, who is campaigning for the Anti-Corruption Act.

The California Political Reform Act is more narrow in scope, focusing on campaign contributions, said Shirley Grindle, a longtime Orange County political reform advocate.

“We’re concerned about all the money floating about and the idea that the person with the biggest check wins,” Grindle said.

The measures agree on many points in general but differ on the details.

For example, the California Political Reform Act would limit individual contributions to $250 for legislative offices and $500 for statewide offices. The Anti-Corruption Act would limit individual contributions to $100 to local candidates and $200 to statewide candidates.

Currently, there are no limits on the amount of money an individual may contribute in a state primary or general election.

Voters could pass both measures. In cases where the measures contradict one another, the measure with the most votes would prevail.

It is reminiscent of 1988, the last time the state saw competing campaign finance measures on the same ballot. Both passed, but the one with the most votes was struck down in December by the state high court, which ruled some elements unconstitutional. That loss has triggered renewed interest in seeing campaign reform become law.

The California Political Reform Act, backed by Common Cause, already has an edge over its rival: Backers have collected more than 680,000 signatures, including more than 60,000 signatures in Orange County alone, to secure a spot on the November ballot.

Campaign members will present those signatures to registrars of voters throughout the state today, Grindle said.

Supporters of each measure expect to find themselves competing against each other--as well as special-interest groups.

But Agran, backing the Anti-Corruption Act along with the California Public Interest Research Group, said that is not a bad thing.

“Maybe this is the one-two punch the doctor ordered,” he said.