Ca. Clean Money, San Rafael Meeting, Election Reform

Mon., March 26, 7:00 p.m.
"CLEAN MONEY" GROUP TO MEET from mpjc
The Marin Group of the California Clean Money Campaign will resume its regular meetings on at the Carpenters' Hall at 647 Lindaro St. in San Rafael. There will be a showing of a Bill Moyers' video on the subject for newcomers at 6:45.
The California Clean Money Campaign works to establish public funding for elections, and a bill to establish such a system for legislators and statewide office holders has been reintroduced this year, again as AB 583, and again by Assemblywoman Loni Hancock (D-Berkeley). CCMC believes that the need for private money donations to candidates keeps too many well-qualified candidates from running or winning because they can't raise sufficient private funds, and that private donations too often come with strings attached, officially or unofficially, from special interest donors.
"Publicly financed elections were established nearly a decade ago in Maine and Arizona and are working well (and other states are in various stages of adopting them as well), with more candidates running and winning `clean,' more women and people of color winning seats, greater voter turnout and confidence in the integrity of lawmakers, and resulting legislation that would otherwise have been blocked by special interests," said Greg Brockbank, coordinator of the California Clean Money Campaign's Marin Working Group

FE: FROM ME
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Contributions Matched!

Help us provide persuasive and attractive educational materials about Clean Money to all the Californians fed up with the dominance of special interest money in election campaigns.

Clean Money is Back in the Legislature!

Last week, Clean Money champion Assemblywoman Loni Hancock reintroduced AB 583, which establishes a full public funding system for all state legislative and statewide election campaigns. At the same time, Sen. Joe Simitian introduced SB 536, an exciting bill to establish a Clean Money pilot program for the office of Insurance Commissioner.

California once again sets itself at the forefront of states and municipalities that are rejecting pay-to-play politics in favor of "clean election" systems. Your contribution today will keep that momentum going!

A growing number of states are taking steps towards full public funding systems:

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In Maryland, where campaign spending reached an all-time high during the 2006 election cycle, lawmakers are considering a bill to establish a public financing system for General Assembly candidates.

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New Mexico's House of Representatives recently approved a bill that would expand the state's public financing program to candidates for statewide offices and judgeships. Activists expect the state Senate to pass the bill in the next two weeks and Gov. Richardson has pledged to sign it.

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In early March, the Arizona House of Representatives unanimously approved a bipartisan bill that makes significant improvements to the state's public campaign financing system. "If we're going to have Clean Elections," Rep. Chad Campbell (D- Phoenix) said, "let's make it the best system possible." A three-quarters vote by both chambers will turn the proposal into law.

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And in his inaugural State of the State speech, New York Governor Eliot Spitzer said "Full public financing must be the ultimate goal of our reform effort. By cutting off the demand for private money, we will cut off the special-interest influence that comes with it."

With two Clean Money bills in California's legislature and cities throughout the state examining Clean Money reform, we need to keep up the pressure!

http://www.CAclean.org/donate

Our citizen activists are turning up the heat on their elected representatives while stepping up their grassroots education and outreach. They are reaching out across the political spectrum to build new alliances and continue to educate Californians about the promise of a fair election system.

Once voters understand how full public funding works, they become Clean Money converts. It's that simple. Our challenge is to reach them, and this is why our grassroots activists are the leading edge of our public education efforts.

The California Clean Money Campaign must give these dedicated volunteers the tools they need to succeed. Both AB 583 and SB 536 will having hearings in April, so we must raise $20,000 in the next two weeks to design, print and distribute new educational materials.

Your contribution today will be worth twice as much because a dedicated patron has offered to match every contribution until the $20,000 goal is reached.

Please make your most generous tax-deductible contribution to CCMC today!

Here's what your gift will do:

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Your $5,000 gift will pay for professional design work to make Clean Money materials really stand out.

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$1,000 will print 7,500 brochures that clearly explain Clean Money reform.

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A $250 contribution will allow us to ship materials to coalition partners and faith communities up and down the state.

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$50 will allow a Clean Money speaker to introduce a new group or community to the reform.

Every dollar you give to our education efforts today will be doubled. You'll be giving our commited activists the resources to succeed and accelerate this important reform. Please give as generously as you can!

http://www.CAclean.org/donate

Thank you again for your commitment to the reform that makes all the other reforms possible: Clean Money!

Susan Lerner
Executive Director



Jo Seidita
President



Trent Lange
Vice President

P.S. Our current election system costs ordinary Californians hundreds of millions of dollars a year. Your support for CCMC's work will bring down the price we all pay for politics as usual and keep California at the forefront of the nation's Clean Money campaign finance efforts... where it should be! Donate Now!

California Clean Money Campaign

Susan Lerner......... Executive Director
Daniel I. Medress.... Field Organizer
Felipe Agredano...... Los Angeles Field Director
Moira Brennan........ Development Director
Brooklynn Mitchell... Office Administrator
Jo Seidita........... President
Trent Lange.......... Vice President

Contact us at Info [at] CAclean.org or at (800) 566-3780



TOOLS FOR CHANGE

Become a member.
http://www.CAclean.org/join

Become a member by mail or phone. Call (800) 566-3780 for questions and options.
California Clean Money Campaign
11844 W. Pico Blvd., Suite 200
Los Angeles, CA 90064

Ask your friends to join too, because they care as much as you.
http://www.CAclean.org/tellafriend/

Learn more.
http://www.CAclean.org

ADD Posted By David Quinley - Marin Green Party Council Member http://groups.yahoo.com/group/davidquinleymaringpcounci