--- "R.T.Rybak" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> That's why at last night's debate, when I was given
> a chance to question the other candidates, I asked:
>
> "Since you have both refused to join me in releasing
> the names of your contributors, could you at least
tell the taxpayers
> whether you have, or will, take money from companies
or individuals that
> compromise your ability to make independent
decisions on behalf of the
> taxpayers, including: developers with multi-million
dollar projects before
> the city, like Brookfield and Ryan, companies with
major environmental conflicts with
> the citizens, like Northwest Airlines and American
Iron, and
> companies or individuals involved with the plan to
build a stadium.
[TB] RT, I�m concerned that you are implying that
your opponents might be doing something illegal. It
is illegal for the campaign committee for a
Minneapolis mayoral candidate (or any other candidate
in the State of Minnesota) to accept a campaign
contribution from a corporation (i.e. Brookfield,
Ryan, NWA or American Iron). Contributions from
individuals are to candidates for Mayor are limited by
law to $500.
Based on my experience preparing the finance reports
for a major candidate in the last mayoral election and
looking at the numbers from the other major candidate,
I�ll accept the suggestion in your post that a
candidate could spend a half million dollars. This
would be nearly twice what anyone spent in 1997.
With a half million-dollar budget and a $500
contribution limit, no contributor can give more than
one-tenth of one percent of the campaign's budget.
I�m not convinced that anyone can buy undue influence
with a contribution of 1/10th of one percent of the
campaign budget.
Contributors are disclosed. They are disclosed both
before the primary and before the general election for
each contributor who gives more than $100. While a
requirement for faster and more frequent disclosure
would be desirable, it�s a matter of state law and a
person elected mayor isn�t going to be able to change
it without a change in state election law.
> RT again:
> The three other candidates are all planning to
spend more than $1 for every
> resident in the city.....probably about $5 for every
primary voter.
[TB] Unfortunately primary election turnout is very
low and the spending per vote gets rather high. Its
not high in relation to other MN elections and our
campaign spending looks reasonable compared to many
other states. How much was spent just last year per
vote in the primary election for US Senator in
Minnesota.
$1 per is less than most Council wards spent 4 years
ago, many legislative races. Given that the new media
doesn�t provide very good coverage the 2 mailings that
you get for a buck is a much information as many
people get about candidates.
I would like the voters; myself included, being able
to make a reasonably informed decision. Some of that
information is going to need to come from the
candidates and like it or not, that is going to take
some money. How much is reasonable? I don�t know,
but a dollar or two is certainly within the reasonable
range. Unless we are going to have full public
financing that money is going to come from
contributors. I�m willing to discuss full public
financing, but I�m not sure that it comes within the
scope of this forum.
Terrell Brown
Loring Park
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices
http://auctions.yahoo.com/
_______________________________________________
Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy
Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more:
http://e-democracy.org/mpls
