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One of the most important things you can
do is to contact your state legislators. Locate
your legislator
Anyone
can call the LEGISLATIVE HOTLINE, toll-free:
1-800-562-6000.
Operators will assist you— even if you don't know your legislators'
names. If you give your address, they will find your legislative
district, then take a message from you, and deliver it to your legislators.
You can also contact them by
calling their office, or by email or written letters. A personal
message from a voter in their district is more influential than
hundreds of pre-printed emails or cards.
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Our
legislative priority for the 2009 session:
public financing for state supreme court races.
- In
2007, the governor proposed a judicial program (HB 1186),
which did not pass.
- In
2008 (short legislative session), the House State Government
& Tribal Affairs Committee held a hearing on a judicial
bill, after the mid-session cutoff, in order to determine
level of support by interested parties.
- WPC
and several organizations—including the Trial Lawyers,
the State and King County Bar, and others, testified in
favor—knowing it would be 2009 before a bill might
actually be finalized and ready for prime time. That's
our next task; stay tuned!
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Let
your legislator know that you are concerned about the problem of
politics being controlled by big money. Ask them to support public
financing of campaigns — a solution that is working in several
other states (Arizona, Maine, North Carolina, and others).
If
your legislator is a Democrat, mention the Resolution passed by
the Washington State Democratic Party and recent letter from the
state party chair Dwight Pelz, urging that public campaign legislation
be enacted. Letter
from State Chair Dwight Pelz
Use
your own words. Here is a typical message you might give:
"I'm
a constituent concerned about the growing influence of big
money on politics and public policy. I strongly support
publicly funded campaigns as a means of restoring democracy
to ordinary citizens.
As
a state legislator, how do you plan to address this issue?
Will you support public financing of campaigns?"
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In
our experience talking with legislators, many are not very knowledgeable
about what has happened in Maine and Arizona. The 2008 legislative
session is an opportunity to educate them on solutions that are
actually working, and alert them that there is support for this
in their districts.
Below
are some key points to make.
With
public financing of campaigns:
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Incumbents
and candidates no longer need to spend time "dialing for
dollars." Instead, there is more time to talk with voters
and discuss important issues.
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Legislators
are freed from seeming indebted to big donors. They can vote
according to constituents' desires, without worrying that big
campaign contributors won't fund their next campaign.
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Public
financing truly gives us "government of, by, and for the
people."
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In Arizona and Maine, states where substantial numbers of legislators
are elected through public financing of campaigns, they subsequently
have enacted tough laws bringing down the price of prescription
drugs, expanding affordable health care, and closing unnecessary
tax giveaways to special interests. These are benefits we need
in Washington!
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Public
financing of campaigns is affordable. We can do it in Washington
State for as little as $4.00 or less per resident per year.*
Even if it was $5-10 per year, isn't it worth it? - to restore
balance - and citizen voice - to our democracy.
*
The amounts spent on all statewide, legislative and judicial campaigns,
averaged for each race over two election cycles.
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