By Ruth Sanders

Redstone Review

LONGMONT – The movement to clean up the spreading oil slick of money in political campaigns is not taking a wait-and-see approach with the tide. An already tested solution awaits Colorado’s collective signature: citizen-funded campaigns. Clean Campaigns Colorado, a non-partisan group of concerned citizens, has been researching since 2007 and synthesizing a ballot measure which, if placed on the November ballot and approved by Coloradans, would provide public funding to state candidates who voluntarily agree to use those funds and leave the need to chase the money behind.

Known as Initiative 53, the proposal is similar to those already successfully enacted in Maine, Connecticut and Arizona. Candidates agree to public financing and can raise funds in small donations. Candidates who opt in are funded at a level equal to the average needed to win the race in the previous two election cycles. Funding comes from a $5 to $10 fee on individual tax returns and does not impact Colorado’s state budget.

Citizen-based campaigns place political influence back where it belongs, with we the people, and provide strong accountability, transparency and responsibility in the public dialogue about how we collectively, legislatively, respond to our challenges.

Initiative 53 needs 120,000 signatures by July 2010 to appear on our ballot in November’s elections. For more information on this grassroots solution, and how you can help, visit:
http://cleancampaignscolorado.com

Ruth Sanders is a freelance writer, journalist and technical writer living in Longmont.

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