There is currently a petition circulating to return reasonable campaign finance limits back to our state. Back in 1974, the Legislature established donation limits of $1,000, seen as a reasonable guardrail to reduce the risk of corruption due to large amounts of money going toward politicians and their campaigns. After a scandal broke out involving some oil executives and certain legislators, the people reduced that amount to $500 in a ballot measure passed in 2006. This was recently challenged as too restrictive, and through successive court cases, it was struck down by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals two years ago. However, there was guidance from the court that it was not impossible to set limits if they were seen as more reasonable and included inflation adjustments.
Enter the current ballot initiative on “An Act Limiting Contributions to Campaigns.”
The limits have been increased to $2,000 per person per campaign, and there is a provision to adjust those limits according to the inflation index. Signing the petition is not voting for the measure; it merely allows it to be placed on the ballot for all Alaska voters to consider.
Contribution limits are a reasonable “guardrail” on our political system. They reduce the risk of corruption through large donations from wealthy donors. They allow all voters to feel they have a fair playing field in which to support their candidates. Please consider signing the petition if you are asked, and if you strongly agree, you can help collect signatures or donate to the effort. However, time is running out fast in order that the initiative can get on the ballot next November, so there is no time to delay!
— Beverly Churchill
Anchorage
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