Petition Our Pennsylvania State Legislators for Campaign Finance Reform
Background:
There is no single factor that undermines our democracy more than the influence of big money. Curbs should be put in place, not because our candidates and officials lack integrity, but because the race for campaign cash forces priorities and practices within our system of elections that collide with the very essence of democracy.
Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has decided that free speech for corporations trumps legitimate constraints on corporate political spending in the interest of democratic governance, the issue of fair elections and the role of big money has taken center stage.
- Candidates agree that far too much of their time is spent “dialing for dollars” to a select few rather than talking with a wide range of voters about their beliefs, hopes and needs.
- Endless competition for funds from special interests weakens the role of civic dialogue and corrodes effective governance.
- Pennsylvania is one of only five states that have no contribution limits, no public financing of elections and limited disclosure and filing requirements. Some have likened it to the “Wild West” of electioneering, a free-for-all for raising money that has eroded public confidence and left us with a legislative process that often seems impervious to the voices of average citizens.
The time for change is now. Let's make the political process in Pennsylvania truly accessible to citizens of average means who seek either to run for office themselves or make their voices heard in the corridors of power. Let’s begin with a petition to our legislators calling for an end to the pollution of the political process by financial interests.
PETITION
We, the undersigned, call upon our representatives in the PA General Assembly to enact meaningful limits on campaign contributions for all public offices in Pennsylvania. We support the basic provisions of PA House Bill 1910, sponsored by Rep. David Levdansky (D-Allegheny-Washington) and introduced on August 25,2009. These provisions include:
• Maximum total contributions from an individual for a state legislative, Court of Common Pleas, county or local office of $500 per election cycle.
• Maximum total contributions from an individual for a statewide office of $2,400 per election cycle.
• Maximum total contributions from an individual, a candidate’s political action committee (PAC)or a PAC to a PAC of $5000 per year.
• Maximum total contributions from a PAC for candidates for state legislature, county office, local office or Court of Common Pleas would be limited, based on the number of donors in the PAC: 10 or fewer donors - $1000 limit; 11-50 donors - $2000 limit; 51-100 donors - $3000 limit; 101-1000 donors - $4000 limit; and 1001 or more donors - $5000 limit.
• Maximum total contributions from an individual to all candidates, campaign committees, PACs and political party committees of no more than $25,000 per year (excluding federal candidates).
