Advocacy Alert!
Republican budget proposes to end the Citizens’ Election Program (CEP)
and
NPV Compact vote may be tabled for another year.
From the Summary of the Republican Budget Proposal
Public Campaign Financing
The GOP budget eliminates grants for public financing of campaigns under the state’s Citizens Election Program. Reasoning: this program in its current form is not effective in keeping special interest money out of politics and is unsustainable. Attempts to reform the program in recent years have consistently been rejected by the majority. Without reforms, the system today is not a clean system. The program is also unsustainable— it is anticipated that before the next election the fund will need an additional $10 million above the $35 million already provided. The state will need to spend almost $50 million on political campaigns if this program remains.
Cheri Quickmire, Director of Common Cause, responds:
As participation rates attest, the CEP has been a tremendously successful program. CEP candidates — now 80% of the field — accept no special interest money from state contractors and none from special interest PACs. These candidates are 100% financed by individual, small dollar contributions and CEF grants. Any truthful analysis would conclude that CEP has a net positive impact on the budget”.
Contact your legislators now. Let them know that you support the CEP. CEP opens the opportunity for citizens to run for state level office and helps to keep Dark Money out of our election campaigns. CEP allows candidates to compete without reliance on special interest money; curtails excessive spending and creates a more level playing field among candidates. The funds for this program come not from taxes but from the sale of abandoned property in the state.
For more info on CEP go to https://ceproud.wordpress.com/
National Popular Vote Compact
On Wednesday at the NPV Lobby Day, Speaker of the House Rep. Joe Aresimowicz announced that he will not be bringing HB 5434 to the floor for a vote.
NPVct’s Jonathan Perloe reported:
The Speaker told us he supports NPV but wants to WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR because he doesn’t want to heighten partisanship in CT — bringing the nonpartisan National Popular Vote Compact up for a vote would in his words “add fuel to the fire.”
We need YOU to show the Speaker that change CANNOT AND MUST NOT WAIT. Twice in the last sixteen years the national popular vote loser has become president, with tremendous consequences.
Call the Speaker at (860) 240-8535 or email joe.aresimowicz@cga.ct.gov – and ask three friends to do the same!
