February 28, 2006

Subject: Campaign Finance Reform

To the Editor:

The League of Women Voters of the Monterey Peninsula recently completed a year-long effort to develop an ordinance for campaign finance and conflict of interest reform. A League committee found that over 100 jurisdictions throughout California have adopted campaign finance laws designed to minimize abuses in local elections and undue influence in local government operations.

The enormous amount of money spent (more than one million dollars) in the 2004 election for Monterey County Board of Supervisors, District 5, provided impetus for the committee to begin meeting. Campaign finance reform has long been an important issue for the League. Currently campaign finance abuses and corruption of public officials nationwide make the news far too often.

NO jurisdiction in Monterey County has any campaign finance ordinance regulating campaign contributions. As a result, contributions to candidates can be enormous, from either individuals or organizations. Documented contributions exceeding $5,000 from an individual contributor invite public speculation that the contributor receives preferential access to elected officials in the decision-making process.

The model ordinance is posted on our website: www.lwvmp.org. We urge local city and county officials to consider this proposal.

Marilyn Maxner, President
League of Women Voters of the Monterey Peninsula