Can you imagine a political ad promoting a candidate or
campaign issue that includes "Paid for by Lennar Corp.," or
an ad touting the benefits of a candidate who supports a
controversial office expansion project that ends by stating
"Paid for by G & L Realty Crop"?
According to the California Clean Money website
(www.CAclean.org), that is exactly what passage of the
California Disclose Act of 2012, AB 1148, will do. It lets
voters know who is really paying for political ads on the
ads themselves. The legislation will simply require the
three largest funders of more than $10,000 be disclosed on
political ads, including TV, radio, print, mass mailings
and website ads.
During the last election, $235 million was spent on ballot
measures alone, mostly by corporations hiding behind
misleading committees, such as Stop Hidden Taxes and
California Jobs Initiative, two political action committees
financed by oil companies. Proposition 26 passed after $18
million in ads stopped the state and cities from raising
fees on polluters without a 2/3 vote. The three largest
funders: Chevron, the American Beverage Association and
Philip Morris.
Santa Clarita has its own experience with PACs financing
local campaigns, such as the Citizen's for Integrity that
received $30,000 from G & L Realty Corp. One of its
original founders, Ed Colley, is now running for City
Council. The money supported Laurie Ender, another
candidate in this April's City Council election.
A poll conducted in October 2011 by California Field Poll
showed a broad spectrum of bipartisan voter support - 84
percent of voters favor the legislation, including 78
percent of Republicans, 86 percent of Democrats and 88
percent of independents. The League of Women Voters, Cal
Alliance of Retired Americans, Common Cause, Sierra Club
and the Planning and Conservation League are among the more
than 200 groups from various viewpoints that have endorsed
the legislation.
One of those endorsers, the Rev. Dr. Rick Schlosser,
executive director of California Church IMPACT,
representing 1.5 million people of faith in California,
said about his group's support, "The overwhelming power of
money to mislead voters is a profound moral issue."
Even in the unpopular Supreme Court case, Citizens United,
which enforced the concept of corporate personhood, eight
of nine justices said that disclosure is necessary to hold
elected officials accountable.
Democracy requires informed voters in order to function
properly. But sometimes, as much as we all try to be
informed, the number of local, regional and state
elections, plus complicated initiatives, is, frankly,
overwhelming.
Some voters respond to this problem by reading voting
records compiled by organizations, such as the Sierra Club
and The League of Conservation Voters. Others respond by
not voting or by relying on information from political
mailings.
Information on who is funding the candidates (at least the
name of the political action committees) is difficult to
find and often, particularly in Santa Clarita, is not
available until well after the election, in spite of laws
requiring otherwise.
The Santa Clarita Organization for Planning and the
Environment has long supported proposals for campaign
contribution and disclosure reform. (Remember our float in
the 2006 Fourth of July parade with the cigar-puffing "fat
cat" taking campaign money to cover up pollution?)
In the last City Council race, Ender received substantial
funding from a PAC as she supported G & L Realty
Corp.'s controversial office expansion in a low-density
residential neighborhood. Candidates supporting the
viewpoint of residents could not compete against such
massive ad funding.
Other candidates received substantial funding from
developers, garbage companies and auto dealerships, all of
whom had contracts, permits or advertising issues coming
before the council in the coming years.
As we approach another City Council election in April, this
legislation becomes all the more important, not only to
fair elections statewide, but to our local City Council
race, in order to ensure good decisions for residents and
taxpayers.
As the campaigns kick off with forums and ads, we urge all
City Council candidates to endorse this legislation and
make its support part of their election campaigns.
Many local residents will be visiting and calling our local
legislator, Assemblyman Cameron Smyth, R-Santa Clarita, to
urge him to vote for this important issue. You can
participate in this action by contacting his local office
and urging his support for the California Disclose Act.
Lynne Plambeck is president of the Santa Clarita
Organization for Planning and the Environment, and a board
member for the Newhall County Water District.
Environmentally Speaking
