Union Dues Initiative

I received a letter from Gov. Pete Wilson, writing on behalf of the Americans for Tax Reform, asking me to support this group’s proposed initiative that would require employers and labor organizations to obtain permission from employees and members before withholding pay or union dues for political contributions. Their initiative also proposes to ban political contributions from foreign nationals.

At first glance these seemed like reasonable proposals. However, it is usually prudent to read the fine print. Essentially, all this partisan initiative would do is hamper the fund-raising efforts of groups that have traditionally opposed Wilson on his extreme right-wing positions. In an exceptionally hypocritical maneuver, Americans for Tax Reform included language in their initiative exempting themselves from the restriction on contributions from foreign nationals.

Campaign finance reform is urgently needed if we are ever to restore trust in our elected officials. But true reform will never come from Wilson or anyone inside our debauched political circles. An electorate that is fed up with political corruption will have to force campaign finance reform upon its elected public servants.

CHARLES DEVERON

Tustin

* Regarding criticism of the ballot initiative that would require your union to get your permission each year before using money collected from you for reasons other than costs associated with representing you: As a condition of my employment, I must pay dues to the Communications Workers of America. CWA spends my money to support candidates and causes that I oppose. It does not make an annual accounting to me of how my money is spent.

I am in strong support of the ballot initiative, which would force accountability on the union to which I must pay dues in order to work. In addition, it prohibits campaign donations to local and state races from foreign countries.

B.E. VICKROY

Escondido