Prop. 89 Would Help Clean Up Elections

By Dale Leuthold, Letter to the Editor

Contrary to the claims of the Cato Institute scholars (Opinion, Oct. 17), Proposition 89 is more than a "dream." It is a practical approach to limiting the influence of special interest money in elections. Arizona and Maine have had public funding of elections since 2000. In Arizona's 2004 election, 10 out of 11 statewide offices, including governor, were won by Clean Money candidates.

Elections in California are so expensive that candidates have to take large contributions from special interests like drug companies, insurers, developers and big unions in order to compete. That creates a conflict of interest when they have to vote on issues affecting those contributors. Under Proposition 89, candidates can voluntarily choose public funding, and when elected they will be accountable only to the voters.

Dale Leuthold
Saratoga

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