Critics say the Fair Elections Code targeting campaign financing in Spokane is a one size fits all measure that needs tweaking before it is approved.
Michael Cathcart with the group “Better Spokane” feels such an ordinance would be better if it had been crafted at the state legislative level, in part because of the complexity of enforcing such a law with organizations that exist outside the city boundaries.
Cathcart also says that while it cuts in half the amount a private citizen can donate per election, the end result is political action committees will benefit.
“But it doesn’t limit how much PACS can raise and spend, on individual expenditures, and so basically you’ll have a situation where political action committees will have more outside influence because each individual citizen can only give half of what they could before. And further folks that can give a lot of money, if you’re saying they can only give half of what they could before, that leaves them with a thousand bucks they can give a political action committee, or a political party,” Cathcart said.
While the ordinance limits campaign contributions from those who have existing contracts with the city, Cathcart believes it fails to limit the power of unions.
"What they don’t do is limit collective bargaining units, which have far more at stake than many contractors, and who have given far more to these council candidates than any contractor has. So it’s really one size does not fit all," said Cathcart.
He also feels the plan would move the city closer to a publicly financed election system down the road, which he does not feel is the best use of public money.
