67.0°

Sound off on the important issues at

The largely Democratic proponents call their initiative the "Clean Elections Act" and say it will mean the state's elected officials will not be beholden to campaign contributors.

Proponent Tim June of Haines estimated publicly funded elections would cost the state about $5 million a year, but that would be far cheaper than having legislators rewarding their campaign contributors with tax breaks and public funding worth much more.

"We're already paying dearly for campaigns," he said.

Republican Party Chairman Randy Ruedrich said the party, and likely most Republican officeholders, would oppose the concept.

"Since it is a complete destruction of freedom of speech, the Republican Party is definitely opposed to it," he said.

June was organizing a fundraiser for the initiative Tuesday, scheduled to be held in Room 604 of Juneau's Baranof Hotel. That's where FBI agents say they monitored Bill Allen of VECO Corp. offering bribes to members of the Alaska Legislature to support bills.

Allen pleaded guilty to bribery and other charges. Three legislators, including former Rep. Bruce Weyhrauch, R-Juneau, have pleaded not guilty to related charges and are awaiting trial.

June said they'd reserved the notorious room for the event, but Westmark corporate officials, owners of the hotel, canceled the reservation. Because invitations had already gone out, initiative volunteers were posted outside the hotel to guide attendees to the new location at the Zephyr Restaurant.

Rep. Andrea Doll, D-Juneau, said that when she heard Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux, R-Kodiak, had introduced a bill calling for publicly financed elections she signed on as a sponsor immediately.

"Personally, I don't think we should be beholden to anyone," she said.

June said that Sen. Kim Elton, D-Juneau, was not a sponsor yet, but was helping host the Zephyr event. Doll said campaigning requires raising significant amounts of money.

"How else are you going to pay for your radio, TV, newspaper and signs," she said. "It takes a tremendous effort to get money and get more money."

The freshman Mendenhall Valley Democrat won an open seat last November, raising and spending about $62,000. That was a bit more than Republican opponent Randy Wanamaker, she said.

"Somebody like Hillary Clinton, you expect them to write up a nonbiased law on health care," she said. "How nonbiased is that going to be if you can attribute your election success to the pharmaceutical companies?"

The initiative would provide financing for candidates running for office if they could show they were a serious candidate by collecting $5 contributions from a minimum number of voters. That number would depend on the office.

In a primary, a House candidate would get $16,000 in state money if he or she were to agree to accept no other money. In the general election, each candidate would be able to spend $24,000.

Other elected state officials would receive larger amounts. If candidates who accepted public funding were faced with an opponent who outspent them, in most cases they'd get additional matching state money.

June estimated the cost to the state at $5 million a year, or $10 million a two-year election cycle, if the maximum number of candidates opted for public financing.

The ongoing ethical issues in the Alaska Legislature make this an opportune time to reform elections, said Michelle Sydeman, a legislative aide working on a clean election bill sponsored by Sen. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, and LeDoux.

She acknowledged it was difficult to convince legislators to change a system that worked for those who got elected under the current standard.

Still, she said, the bill now has six co-sponsors.

"They were willing to take the personal risk because they think this will enhance our democracy," she said.

Gov. Sarah Palin's success in last year's election hinged in a large part on her promise to clean up state government.

The governor's spokeswoman Sharon Leighow said, however, Palin didn't support publicly financed elections.

"They're frustrated, and rightly so," Leighow said. "But I still have faith that we can help clean up the system we have so government doesn't get in the business of campaign financing."

• Contact Pat Forgey at 523-2250 or patrick.forgey@juneauempire.com.