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For Immediate Release Contact: Rebekah SweeneySeptember 26, 2011
(608) 266-3790
Jorgensen on Republican Raid of Fair Elections Fund: Put It
Back!
MADISON State Representative Andy Jorgensen (D-Fort Atkinson)
today unveiled a plan to restoremonies raided in the Republican
budget from the Wisconsin Election Campaign Fund (WECF) andrenew
the program before the next election cycle.
When Governor Walker and Republicans ran for office, they railed
against raids of segregated funds.But, when they were faced with
the task of balancing the states budget, they swiped $1.1 million
in
monies set aside by Wisconsin taxpayers specifically for the
public financing of elections, saidJorgensen. They werent true to
their word or to the will of the people, and I wont stand for
it.
Jorgensens legislative proposal provides $1.1 million of general
purpose revenue to the re-establishment of the Wisconsin Election
Campaign Fund, setting parameters identical to what was inplace
prior to the passage of the state budget. Under this plan,
candidates for state offices who agree tolimit their campaign
expenditures and contributions, fulfill all reporting requirements,
win the primarywith at least 6% of the vote and have an opponent
would be eligible for public financing dollars. StateSenate
candidates could receive $15,525 and State Assembly candidates
could receive $7,763. The planwould also allow taxpayers to
continue to check-off $1 on their state income tax returns, money
whichsponsors the WECF.
"When people checked that box on their tax forms, they were
directing their money for one thing andone thing only, to help
regular folks run for office, said Jorgensen. It was up to them to
decide howtheir money would be spent, not the Governor. He should
put the money back."
"The majority party in the Legislature has -- either
deliberately or unwittingly -- seriously underminedan almost
35-year-old tradition of honest, open and accountable state
government with this change," saidJay Heck, Executive Director of
Common Cause in Wisconsin. "Rep. Jorgensen's proposal restoresfunds
that were designated by Wisconsin taxpayers for public financing of
state elections which we allknow can and should be improved, not
destroyed."
Hundreds of thousands of Wisconsin taxpayers designated some of
their taxes to go for publicfinancing of elections. Disregarding
this clear expression on taxpayer intent and using this money
foranother purpose was an act of profound disrespect to those
taxpaying citizens, said WisconsinDemocracy Campaign Executive
Director Mike McCabe. That disrespect was magnified when theynot
only eliminated the income tax check-off and redirected the funds,
but they used the money forsomething many if not most of these
taxpayers find repugnant -- implementation of the new lawrequiring
voters to have a photo ID in order to cast a ballot.
-OVER-
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Jorgensen notes that, while he has not accepted public financing
in elections past, current statelawmakers from both sides of the
aisle have participated in the WECF program. According
toinformation provided by the Government Accountability Board, the
list includes Reps. Barca, Bernier,Clark, Cullen, Hintz, Kessler,
Krusick, Loudenbeck, Steineke and Senators Carpenter and Lasee.
Fundraising is one of the biggest disadvantages for challengers
running against incumbents. In my firstcampaign, public financing
allowed me the opportunity to be competitive and actually talk with
votersinstead of raising money," said Rep. Gordon Hintz
(D-Oshkosh). After forcing their ideologicalagenda on the state,
Republicans seem to believe the only way they can win in 2012 is to
game ourelection system to their advantage.
Wisconsinites believe in the little guy, the underdog and in
order to give candidates of modest meansa chance to run for elected
office, they have supported our public financing for more than 30
years, saidRep. Jorgensen. My plan aims to continue that tradition,
and I hope to have bipartisan backing.
Jorgensen is now asking his colleagues in the Senate and
Assembly to sign on to his plan to restore theWECF; he plans to
formally introduce the bill next week.
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