ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF PROPOSITION 15

Special interest campaign contributors have too much influence over our state government and must be stopped.

California government is broken. The state budget crisis is crippling our economy. Education funding is at a historic low. Vital services for seniors and people with disabilities are being decimated. Businesses are closing their doors while middle class families struggle to make ends meet.

But rather than solving California's problems, politicians are busy raising money for their campaigns. We need to get politicians out of the fundraising game so that they will focus on our priorities.

THE AMOUNT OF MONEY IN POLITICS IS OUTRAGEOUS AND CORRUPTING THE SYSTEM

According to the Fair Political Practices Commission, over $1 billion has been raised by California politicians since 2000. All this fundraising buys access for the special interests, shutting out the rest of us.

We need to change the way we finance election campaigns so politicians stay focused on the job we sent them to accomplish.

Prop 15 creates a voluntary pilot program to provide limited public financing for Secretary of State candidates in the 2014 and 2018 elections.

UNDER PROP 15:

• Candidates who agree to use public funds MUST PROVE THEY HAVE SUBSTANTIAL SUPPORT by getting signatures and $5 contributions from 7,500 registered voters.
• PARTICIPATING CANDIDATES ARE BANNED FROM RAISING OR SPENDING MONEY BEYOND THE LIMITED FUNDS.
• SPENDING LIMITS AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS ARE STRICTLY ENFORCED. Candidates can only spend on legitimate expenses. Violators would face fines, possible jail time, and prohibitions from running for office in the future.
• TAXPAYERS AND PUBLIC FUNDS ARE PROTECTED. It will not increase taxes or take away from other important programs.

POLITICIANS SPEND TOO MUCH TIME RAISING MONEY

We have many serious problems to fix in California, from our schools to the state budget to the economy, but our elected officials spend too much time in fundraisers and not enough time doing what they are elected to do.

The League of Women Voters of California says:

"We need to eliminate Big Money's unfair influence on elected officials who ultimately decide the public policies that affect us most. Passing Prop 15 will allow elected officials to start focusing on the public's interests, instead of returning political favors to their campaign donors."

The California Nurses Association says:

"Insurance and pharmaceutical companies undermine healthcare reform through massive spending to influence candidates. Prop 15 helps to get big money out of important public policy."

There are plenty of qualified Californians with good ideas who can't compete in today's money-driven elections. PROP 15 WILL OPEN UP THE PROCESS SO OUR SECRETARY OF STATE IS THE PERSON WITH THE BEST IDEAS AND EXPERIENCE, NOT JUST THE BEST FUNDRAISER.

Join the bipartisan coalition of nurses, teachers, small business owners, good government experts, public safety officials, consumer groups, seniors, investors, environmentalists, faith communities, Democrats, Republicans and Independents in voting Yes on Prop 15.

VOTE YES ON PROP 15, BECAUSE CAMPAIGNS SHOULD BE WON, NOT BOUGHT BY THE SPECIAL INTERESTS.

For more information, please visit www.YesonProp15.org

JEANNINE ENGLISH, California State President, AARP
ZENAIDA T. CORTEZ, RN, President
California Nurses Association
REVEREND DR. RICK SCHLOSSER, Executive Director
California Church IMPACT

REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF PROPOSITION 15

Proposition 15 doesn't do anything to solve California's problems. What it DOES DO is give taxpayer money to politicians to pay for negative ads and junk mailers.

NO ACCOUNTABILITY

Under Prop 15, there's almost no restriction on how candidates spend our tax money. As has happened elsewhere, they could even put relatives or friends on the campaign payroll at taxpayer expense!

Worse, if there isn't enough money to pay for every eligible candidate's campaign, the politicians can take money intended for important existing programs and divert it to fund their political campaigns.

NO VOTER APPROVAL NEEDED TO EXPAND PROP 15

Prop 15 is specifically written to allow the politicians to expand this measure WITHOUT VOTER APPROVAL to cover every state campaign. This tricky provision could result in the SAME POLITICIANS who have FAILED to solve California's problems being rewarded with our tax dollars to fund their campaigns.

POLITICIANS CAN CONTINUE TO RAISE SPECIAL INTEREST MONEY AND ALSO GET TAX DOLLARS

Prop 15 cynically claims to hurt special interests. In fact, under Prop 15 politicians will be able to get taxpayer dollars to run their campaign AND ALSO RAISE unlimited funds from special interest groups for a variety of purposes. That's outrageous!

PROP 15 RAISES TAXES

The backers of Prop 15 want you to think it's a free lunch. In fact, Prop 15 raises over $6 million in NEW TAXES to pay for the campaigns of politicians.

Don't be fooled. Prop 15 is NOT effective campaign reform. Please vote NO.

T. ANTHONY QUINN, Ph.D, Former Commissioner
Fair Political Practices Commission
COLLEEN C. MCANDREWS, Former Commissioner
Fair Political Practices Commission
WILLIAM HAUCK, Former Commissioner
Fair Political Practices Commission