Blogtown, PDX: Meet the Contenders - Question #13

The Portland Mercury's Blogtown, PDX site has been producing a weekly series of questions for the various candidates running in the Portland mayor and city council races. This series is a great way to meet the candidates and learn about the issues affecting the public and Portland city government. We're reproducing (with permission) Chris's responses here, while also providing links to the original Blogtown posts.

Question #13:

(Original Post from Mar. 13, 2008)

The last candidate who turned in more than 1,000 signatures has been certified for public financing. What are your thoughts on the program? Why did you or didn’t you participate? Also, would you vote to put the program to a public vote in 2010?

Chris's Response:

I first had the opportunity to study public campaign financing in 2000, when I chaired a study for the City Club of Portland on Ballot Measure 6, which would have created a public campaign finance system for the Oregon Legislature and statewide offices. Our committee reached the conclusion that this approach, previously tried in other states, while not a cure for all campaign finance issues, would both help reduce the corrosive effects of big money in our politics and help create the opportunity for candidates with strong community support to run for office even if they could not tap traditional campaign funding sources.

While Measure 6 failed statewide (due in part to the influence of big-money contributions) it passed in Portland. I and others were encouraged by this, and I was happy to be part of the group of advocates who, working with Commissioner Sten and Auditor Blackmer, proposed Voter Owned Elections to City Council and were ultimately able to secure adoption of the system three years ago.

I am proud to be “getting a taste of my own medicine” by running as a Voter Owned Elections Candidate. Already, in two election cycles we have seen Voter Owned Elections create an effective cap on campaign spending for both participating and non-participating candidates, and in several races non-participating candidates have self-limited their maximum contributions to $500, far lower than was common in Council campaigns before the system was adopted.

And this year, I’m delighted that there are seven candidates who have qualified under the system, although I’d be more delighted if a few less of them were in the same race that I am.

We’re still learning and adjusting, but it’s working, creating more opportunities for participation by candidates and voters, and taking the big money out of our elections.

And yes, as I pledged in my campaign kick-off announcement, I am absolutely committed to keeping the pledge to refer this to the voters of Portland to pass judgment on in 2010 after they have seen it in operation, as was promised when the system was adopted.