By James Call
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-958744.mp3
Tallahassee, FL – A Senate Committee Monday voted to lift the cap on campaign contributions to candidates for state offices. James Call reports lawmakers say the $500 limit is unrealistically low.
Miami Senator Miguel Diaz de la Portilla wants to pull the plug on a campaign financing experiment Florida politicians began 20 years ago. A cap on contributions was implemented in 1991. A candidate for a state legislative or statewide candidate can't accept a contribution of more than $500. The thinking was limit campaign contributions and you limit the influence of money in politics. Diaz de la Portilla says that thinking was wrong. Things have not played out the way the cap's supporters said they would.
"And the reason it hasn't happened is quite frankly is because media buys are not getting cheaper they are getting more expensive. The reason it hasn't happened is because elections are getting more expensive.
"And so by raising the limits back to a tier system similar to what we had in place before I think those candidates for public office will spend a lot less time making phone calls for contributions and keeping track of contributions and more time talking to voters."
Diaz de la Portilla wants to revive a tier system of contribution limits similar to one in place before 1991. His proposal would increase the maximum allowed to 10 thousand dollars for gubernatorial candidates, five-thousand for other statewide races and 25 hundred for the state legislature. Just three states, Colorado, Connecticut and Maine have caps lower than Florida's current $500. Senator Elenore Sobel supports the cap.
"I haven't heard from people who contribute to may campaign that we want to give you more I think what they say is that there are ways to give you more money they know ways so why do we need this mechanism at this time."
When limits on contributions were established a system to publicly financed campaigns was also created for candidates who agreed to limit spending. However, Loopholes have weaken the reforms lawmakers implemented in the early 1990s. First the legislature allowed parties to spend unlimited amount of money in support of candidates. Then last summer the judges on the 11th U.S. circuit court of Appeals barred the state from giving money to candidates whose opponents exceeded spending limits. The ruling came in a suit brought by then gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott who paid out of his own pocket for nearly his entire campaign. Diaz de la Portilla said by lifting the cap candidates will need to talk to fewer contributors, have more time to tend to required paperwork and thereby increase transparency in the financing of elections.
"pretty much the same amount of money going into the campaign, no difference but what you will have is, less time spent in the accounting and reporting prospect but it will all be there disclosed. What you will see is candidates being able to spend a lot more time campaigning, and being out there with voters instead of chasing down 500 dollar checks."
The bill came up near the end of the committee meeting and public comments were limited by time. John French represents Associated Industries of Florida and spoke in support.
"-- Instead of going out there and shaking hands..."
"Sir, we've got 3 minutes and one more public input and then we have to vote so--"
"Okay, okay, let me put it in one sentence, I've been doing election law for 40 years this is the best piece of legislation to come through the Florida Senate I've seen during that time and I urge you to past it."
Ben Wilcox is with the League of Women Voters, opposed the bill but said he recognized it as a well meaning attempt to fix Florida's campaign finance laws.
"The league would welcome an opportunity to work with you to take a holistic approach to campaign financing and lets design a system that works where qualified candidates do not have to sale their souls to get elected to public service."
The current system bothers Senator Paula Dockery. She said money becomes centralized, usually by the political parties who then are able to overpower neighborhood and community activists and handpick candidates for the legislature if not higher offices.
"The political parties can give $50 thousand dollars per candidates in direct contributions and $250 thousand for statewide candidates but that doesn't include phone banks that doesn't include indirect that doesn't include in-kind that doesn't include some salaries so pretty much the parties is financing campaigns and that's where we need to level the playing field."
Dockery opposed the measure. Diaz de la Portilla argued his proposal will help bring elected officials closer to voters. He said freed from having to contact numerous contributors, politicians will have more time to talk directly to voters.
"Florida is not New Hampshire this is a large state one of the largest in the nation and limiting candidates to raising 500 dollar increments requires them to spend an inordinate amount of time fundraising. Time that incumbent officeholders could better spend serving constituents and candidates who aren't incumbents can spend contacting voters directly but it could also leave candidates to being vulnerable to third party groups, 527s and electioneering communications organizations that are not subjected to current legislation."
The committee approved the measure 7-5. It has been referred to the Judiciary and the Budget committees.