Wed 11 Nov 2009
Posted by Sound Advice under Campaign Finance , Campaigns & Elections , State Government
[15] Comments
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jerry Cobb (602) 478-0002
jerrycobb@actual-media.com
GOP GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE JOHN MUNGER CALLS FOR A MORATORIUM ON TAXPAYER-FINANCED CAMPAIGNS
(PHOENIX, AZ) November 11, 2009 – John Munger released the following statement today on Arizona’s public campaign finance system:
“It’s time to come clean about Arizona’s Clean Elections law and admit that it has led to a flawed system we can no longer afford. Giving taxpayer funds to career politicians at a time when we’re cutting government is an abomination. Today I’m calling for the complete abolishment of taxpayer funded elections, and applying the current revenues of Arizona’s Clean Elections System to funding core services such as K-12 education. “
“The process of wiping out taxpayer funded campaigns will require action by the legislature and by voters. In the meantime, candidates participating in the taxpayer funded system should cease raising money for so-called ‘constituent’ accounts and turn those funds over to the state to help offset the current budget deficit.”
“It is hypocritical and wrong for candidates to request taxpayer money to run for office while at the same time raising private funds for frivolous expenses like sending out greeting cards, which is what most constituent accounts are used for.”
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November 11th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Name some names, John! Don’t let them get away with it!
November 11th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Please don’t take offense, John, but I just don’t see enough voters that are into you for Governor. Same for Vernon. We need someone with fiscal gravitas (that Terri lacks) and communication skills (that Jan lacks) and we’ll walk away with the prize. Remember, it’s all about the economy. Paging Mr. Martin…
November 11th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
Dean Martin has all the skill sets to be elected and make the right decisions as Governor. In response to ‘Reality’, Jan Brewer has a good chance to win the primary. I will not be voting for her, but it looks like it will be one pro tax increase candidate against several anti tax increase candidates. She might just pull it off. Mr. Martin needs to put his hat in the ring, the sooner the better. He has my support.
November 11th, 2009 at 10:25 pm
The state is spending $3 billion too much right now. Otherwise, attacking Clean Elections would be a worth endeavor.
November 12th, 2009 at 4:23 am
No one could hate publicly funded campaigns more than I, but this is a publicity stunt.
Crying out for the “abolishment” of this law in the middle of a campaign is silly. Don’t participate in it, point out its flaws, but grandstanding and pontificating on something that’s not going to happen by way of a candidate calling for its abolishment is useless.
Did Munger make any serious attempt at reform before he was in the middle of a campaign?
Real issues and real solutions please.
November 12th, 2009 at 7:15 am
Hasn’t the Legislature already raided the the CCEC fund for more than $60 million over the past two years? And that’s on top of what the Commission has given back to the General Fund.
November 12th, 2009 at 7:47 am
I don’t get why any true conservative would support a candidate running on taxpayer funds. Or why a Republican candidate would even consider running on taxpayer’s money.
Sounds pretty hypocritical if you ask me. Aren’t we trying to accuse the Democrats of being wrong for this? So why would we turn around and do the same, let alone support any candidate running a campaign on taxpayer money?
November 12th, 2009 at 8:40 am
Sounds like somebody’s having trouble raising funds privately . . .
November 12th, 2009 at 9:52 am
Munger is way ahead of the rest of the field on this point. The matching funds are going away when the federal judge hearing the challenge gives her verdict. Other campaign finance restrictions are quickly being rolled back on the federal level, too. This type of welfare for politicians is not going to be around for much longer folks.
November 12th, 2009 at 10:12 am
Arizona has been sweeping everything but clean elections. WHY? There is something very wrong with this picture.
Shouldn’t we be using clean election funds for education, infrastructure, building jobs etc?
November 12th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
[...] Sonoran Alliance) Categories: Arizona, Budget, Economy, Elections, Governor, Politics, Press Releases, Taxes [...]
November 12th, 2009 at 7:58 pm
Six figure salaries for high performing teachers? Appreciation yes. Big pay increas yes. Mungers promised six figure salaries? Imagine Arizona…a few more billion in the red.
November 12th, 2009 at 8:50 pm
John Munger’s law firm Munger-Chadwick represents the Tucson Greyhound Park an entity that has not paid any taxes on live handle racing and simulcast racing since the mid 1990s. TGP also receives a hardship tax credit. Let’s start collecting this income retroactive before you start slinging mud at Jan Brewer.
November 13th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Who wins from shutting down Clean Elections funding?
1) polical consultants
2) special interests
3) lobbyists
4) independently wealthy folks like Munger
Reform of Clean Elections should simply be to limit its use to first time candidates. After they have a record, then its time to push them out of the nest to either fall or fly.
Munger is a smart guy, but his business expereience will hurt him as governor. Let me explain.
As a CEO he’s very used to telling his subordinates what to do and having them jump to it or be fired. A governor must work with established state agencies with their own agendas – and a state senate and house with their own agendas.
If Munger doesn’t begin to reach out to these groups, but rather relies on his life experiences as a “director” and not a “team builder”, he’ll be a disaster as governor no matter how good his ideas may be or how smart he is.
November 15th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
I think VV does not understand that there are 3 branches of government. Forget the “team” crap. In warfare there are allies, enemies and neutrals. If you want to use a sports metaphor like “team” that’s great but it’s like bringing a knife to a gunfight.
I also think the gub campaigns have been charged with “blogging” these types of sites, and in a GOP primary SA is a top target.
DSW, this is a new land. You are going to see electioneering comments overwhelm the concise and useful discussion usually available here. Don’t despair, things will be back to normal in about a year.