Portland council should give elections back to voters

Friday, October 08, 2004

IN MY OPINION Chris Smith

Can you imagine an election in which campaigns engage on issues, rather than producing 30-second TV commercials? Do you wish candidates could spend their time talking to voters instead of soliciting contributions to fund those commercials?

The Portland City Council has the opportunity to give city elections back to voters by enacting a proposal that stops the arms race of campaign spending.

Concern about campaign finance is not new. In 1973 a City Club of Portland report raised concerns about the soaring costs of campaigns in Oregon.

The City Club also studied and took positions in favor of reforms in 1976 and 1994.

Most recently in 2000, the City Club studied and supported a system of public finance (Measure 6) for state elections, that concluded: Campaign costs have escalated dramatically. Most campaign funds come from a very small number of large contributors. The perception of undue influence has increased public cynicism. Candidates spend an inordinate amount of time fund raising. Qualified candidates are often deterred from running because of the need to raise large sums.

While Measure 6 was defeated statewide, a majority of voters in Portland supported it. A proposal currently before the City Council follows the Measure 6 template, providing public financing to candidates for the council, mayor or city auditor who collect a large number of $5 "qualifying" contributions to demonstrate their support and viability.

Because the system is voluntary, it bypasses the constitutional problems that sidetracked other reform efforts in Oregon. Experience in other jurisdictions shows that while voluntary, it will be attractive to candidates who want to spend their time talking to voters, not chasing dollars.

Council members have raised thoughtful and important questions about details of this proposal, and the plan continues to be refined. The current plan has benefited from extensive review by a panel of experts, including a representative of the City Club's study committee. Because this plan is statutory, not an amendment to the City Charter, the council will retain the ability to address any future concerns with implementation. The proposal also includes a citizen commission that will monitor the system and provide recommendations to the council.

One of the largest questions facing the City Council is whether this is a good use of public funds. The proposal costs less than one quarter of 1 percent of the city's budget. Just as the City Club concluded in its 2000 report, this is "a very good investment for the health, vitality and diversity of our political system."

The City Club calls on the City Council to implement this proposal in time to give the 2006 city elections back to voters.

Chris Smith was chairman of the 2000 City Club of Portland study of Measure 6 and now is chairman of the club's Advocacy and Awareness Board. The City Club's board of governors has adopted a resolution supporting the city of Portland voter-owned elections proposal.