September 22, 2004
Wednesday

Anchorage, Alaska - "We are pleased to be turning in over 13,000 signatures above and beyond the required 23,285," said Harry Crawford, "the doubling of campaign contribution limits and loosening of lobbyist reporting requirements done during the 23rd legislature was just plain wrong. I am proud to stand alongside Eric Croft and David Guttenberg as one of the three co-sponsors of this initiative."

"The purpose of this initiative is to try to take the power of the Legislature back from powerful special interests and bring their lobbyists out of the smoke filled rooms and into the public spotlight. I want to see the power of the electorate given back to the people of Alaska", continued Eric Croft.

Quoting a news release from Campaign Finance Reform Again!, this initiative, initiative 03DISC, has its roots firmly planted in the 2003 legislative session. During that session when the 'stars were aligned' the republicans in the Alaska State Legislature, at the behest of the Murkowski administration, failed to inflation proof both the Alaska Permanent Fund and our public school system, and went even farther to reverse inflation proofing for Alaska's poorest workers- reversing a tie to inflation for the minimum wage. The only thing solidly inflation proofed was the amount of money special interests could use to buy political influence. This initiative simply returns donation levels to the level approved by the citizens of Alaska in the 1996 campaign finance reform initiative.

Initiative 03DISC would put before the voters of Alaska, on the 2006 primary ballot, the opportunity to vote to:

• Decrease the amount individuals may give candidates from $1,000 to $500;
• Decrease the amounts individuals can give to political parties for any purpose from $10,000 to $5,000;
• Decrease the amount groups may give candidates, groups, or political parties from $2,000 to $1,000;
• Require groups to disclose information on contributions over $100;
• Reduce the hours persons may lobby in any 30 day period before having to register as a lobbyist from 40 to 10;
• Require legislators to disclose outside income sources greater than $1,000

"Really, this is a victory for the people of Alaska," said David Guttenberg from his home in Fairbanks, "increased scrutiny of political contributions benefits everyone."

The Lt. Governor received the initiative application Sept. 5, 2003; the application was certified on Sept. 19, 2003, and the initiative signature books were distributed Sept. 26, 2003. Signature booklets are officially due Sept. 25, 2004.

Source of News Release:

Campaign Finance Reform Again!
507 E. St. Suite 213
Anchorage, AK

 

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