Public Financing of Campaigns Off to a Great Start
Commentary
Public financing of campaigns off to a great start
by Bethany Foster and Ciara Torres-Spelliscy
The Connecticut Post, 10/10/07
Today, voters in the 113th House District will choose a candidate to fill the seat of Rep. Richard Belden, who died in August. More than a special election, this one is historic: it is the first election to apply Connecticut's new public financing system, and the Connecticut Legislature is the first in the country to pass a full public financing law that applies to its own campaigns. In states with similar plans, like Arizona and Maine, the voters chose the plans. Here in Connecticut, the system offers a chance for the state to shed its reputation as "Corrupticut" and instead provide a model of open and honest government. The system is especially noteworthy because it empowers average citizens to run for office without facing the daunting task of private fundraising.
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