The Oregon Trail to legalized bribery 
By Ed Winslow 
Pacific Green Party of Oregon

Every day corporations and other special interests pump over $2 million into the coffers of our elected officials and their party committees in Washington. As a result, an estimated $160 billion in tax breaks, subsidies and other sweet deals are awarded to these contributors. But this isn't the worst of it. Their money also buys them the opportunity to shape public policy to suit their bottom lines. 

One glaring example occurred in Oregon in 2004 when the Lottery Commission allowed video poker parlors to keep an extra $85 million per year that should be going to schools. Why? The Oregon Restaurant Association contributed over $1.2 million to candidates in the last three elections. 
This overt corruption of our political process is being addressed by what we politely refer to as campaign finance reform. Most states have some form of campaign donation limits. Oregon is one of the only states that have absolutely no limits on contributions. 

It wasn't always this way. In 1909, Oregon voters established strict campaign and expenditure limits through an initiative. Amounts were based upon a percentage of the annual salary for the elected office. This worked well with some small modifications until 1973, when the legislature was ready to enact a more detailed campaign finance reform package. Believing that expenditures were the key to controlling campaign costs, the legislature repealed previous contribution limits that were difficult to monitor due to in-kind contributions, soft dollar donations, etc. The expenditure limits were in place for the 1974 election, but in 1975 the Oregon Supreme Court found the restrictions unconstitutional. 

Between 1974 and 1994 the costs of running for state office in Oregon increased ten-fold. In the 1994 election, a statute initiative (Ballot Measure 9), which limited contributions and included voluntary spending limits, was passed by 71% of the voters. Key elements of the initiative included a ban on corporate and special interest contributions and a $500 maximum limit to candidates. During the 1996 election, this resulted in two-thirds less money contributed to candidates than in 1992, with funds coming from one-third more contributors. 

In February 1997, the Oregon Supreme Court ruled that the state constitution would have to be amended to allow any contribution limits and overturned Ballot Measure 9. The court also threw out the ban on corporate and special interest contributions. Initiative proposals to change the state constitution since the 1997 ruling have either lost or not qualified for the ballot. 

Today disclosure is the only regulation on funding political campaigns in Oregon. Campaign costs have skyrocketed to new levels of outlandishness. For example, total contributions for the gubernatorial race in 1998 were approximately $2.3 million. The race for governor in 2002 brought in approximately $15 million. Over 99.5% of the money raised was by the two major parties. 

In May 2005, the Portland, Ore. city council approved a "clean election" system for city elections. Similar to the successful systems in place in the states of Arizona, Maine and North Carolina, Portland became the first city in the country to adopt full public financing of elections. Under the new law, candidates agree to collect a number of $5 qualifying contributions and signatures (e.g. 1,500 for mayor) to demonstrate community support and their viability as candidates. Those who qualify agree to reject private donations and limit campaign spending. They are rewarded with a limited amount of campaign dollars from a publicly financed fund. This allows candidates to focus on voters and issues rather than donors when running their campaigns. 

For the November 2006 gubernatorial election, total spending, including the primary, is likely to approach $20 million by the major parties. In 2002, the highest amount raised by a third-party candidate running for governor was $42,000 by the Libertarian. It would be preferable to have a clean election in 2006, similar to Portland's model law, but current Oregon state law allows for unrestricted access and use of funds. Fair Elections Oregon is now circulating a petition promoting a change in the Oregon Constitution to allow limits on campaign contributions and expenditures. A second petition outlines specific recommended limits. 

As a candidate for the nomination of the Pacific Green Party for governor, I've chosen voluntarily to limit campaign contributions to $50 per individual. As a Green Party member, I'm proud that we ban contributions from corporations and monied interests. The grassroots campaign typical of the Green Party helps elect candidates based on qualifications, issues and values rather than on their ability to saturate the airwaves and newsprint with sound bytes and slogans.

Ed Winslow is a candidate for the Pacific Green Party nomination for governor of Oregon in 2006. For more information on his campaign visit www.edwinslow.com  

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