Fiscal Note
Adoption of this resolution has no direct fiscal impact except for the reallocation of available staff time to support the functioning of the study committee. Any costs associated with implementation of committee recommendations would require separate budgetary authorization in the future.
Title
AMENDED SECOND SUBSTITUTE - Supporting the investigation of full public financing of municipal elections for alderperson, mayor, and municipal judge and establishing a "Blue Ribbon Committee on Clean Elections" to study and issue recommendations related to the specifics of a clean elections ordinance.
Body
WHEREAS the functioning of a democracy requires that the interests of people outweigh the interests of money; and
WHEREAS campaign finance reform helps to ensure that voters retain trust in the electoral process by removing the corrosive influence of campaign donations; and
WHEREAS clean elections with full public financing is the best practice to guarantee that the public interest prevails over special interests; and
WHEREAS clean elections have been shown to increase the participation and viability of challengers to incumbents, and increase the number of candidacies of women, people of color, and those who are not independently wealthy; and
WHEREAS clean elections allow candidates to spend less time chasing contributions and more time talking with voters about issues of substance, as well as allowing elected officials to consider the merits of a proposal with only constituents in mind and not donors; and
WHEREAS cities and states across the country are moving toward voluntary clean elections and Madison voters have consistently expressed enthusiasm for campaign finance reform;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Common Council of the City of Madison does hereby wish to investigate full public financing of municipal elections for alderperson, mayor, and municipal judge; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a Blue Ribbon Committee ...
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