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Vol. I
No. 9 Campaign Finance Alternative
Arises Decision '06 EUREKA – $500 will be the limit on official influence over elected officials from individuals, unions or corporations if an alliance in formation manages to qualify and pass their new initiative. Although still at loggerheads over Measure T, which would prohibit the contribution of any resource by almost any corporation to county elections, the Eureka Greens at their most recent meeting on Jan. 21 voted unanimously to endorse an alternative campaign finance measure, the Humboldt County Campaign Contribution Limitation Ordinance. The HCCLO would limit contributions to any candidate or for or against any recall election in the county to $500 at first, with a cost of living adjustment performed biannually by the Board of Supervisors. Activists are excited over the potential to heal rifts within the Green Party and beyond over Measure T, an initiative on the June ballot which would ban any monetary or non-monetary contributions to county elections from non-local corporations. The sweeping definition of non-local as having a single shareholder or employee outside of the county, in addition to the uneven treatment of unions and non-profit organizations has aroused ire and frustration among political leaders of all stripes in recent months, with several meetings of the Eureka Greens dominated by the subject. While continuing their neutral stance on Measure T, even its avid supporters such as Local Solutions founder Alice Woodworth were thankful to see the HCCLO on the table. Measure T opponent Greg Allen, a local attorney, was visiting from Arcata to present his alternative. His comments centered on the overwhelming power large contributions possess, whether in the form of individuals, unions or corporations, and how it was corruptible politicians instead of “small mom and pop corporations” who should be subject to legal penalties.
Newly elected Eureka Greens Treasurer Dillon agreed, and said the HCCLO would receive greater support from the voting public as compared to the anti-corporate initiative sponsored by Humboldt Coalition for Community Rights. “The question is the amount and not the source,” he said. If circulated in coming months, the HCCLO, which would be spearheaded by a group tentatively titled Humboldt Alliance for Legitimate Election Reform Today or Humboldt ALERT, would appear on the November ballot, well after voters determine the fate of Measure T on June 6. Attendees didn’t manage to completely bypass another go-around on the anti-corporate measure, with Woodworth making one more try to sway members to her position. “Even though I do agree with the position in favor of campaign contribution limitation, I do think there is value in preventing non-local corporations from contributing,” she said. “It begins the education process with business people…the average business is encouraged to incorporate to protect themselves.” Dillon blasted the structure of Measure T as currently written, calling it a “troubled” attempt to implement a “cookie-cutter process,” calling instead for a focus on community needs. Allen additionally noted how Measure T was attempting to change the definition of corporate personhood found in Section 18 of the California Corporations Code with a county initiative, which is impermissible under state law. Heidi Calton, who earlier in the meeting had been elevated from Vice Chair to Chair, called upon both sides to accept a position of neutrality due to the level of dissent and lack of clarity about the legal issues raised. “We don’t want to be tied to [Measure T] because of the whole confusion,” she said. The gathered Greens found more unity on the subjects of creating a Eureka Police Review Commission and enforcing term limits on Supervisors, adopting endorsements of initiatives for each. They also elected Angelsea Everson as Secretary, delaying the replacement of the Vice Chair to their next meeting on March 18, 5:00 p.m. at Has Beans Coffee Roasters in Old Town Eureka. Their agenda is available at eurekagreens.blogspot.com. Charles Douglas is the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the Humboldt Sentinel. He can be reached at editor@humboldtsentinel.com. |
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Copyright © 2005-06, Humboldt Sentinel. All rights reserved. |
“The
candidate is the one as a matter of law the one who is responsible,”
Allen said. 