RESOLUTION SUPPORTING CLEAN MONEY CLEAN ELECTIONS

This resolution was passed by the AAUW NYS convention, April 26, 2008:
WHEREAS: Clean Money Clean Elections creates a system of public financing for candidates who agree to strict spending limits in their campaigns for statewide and legislative offices and is supported by Governor David Paterson and

WHEREAS: Clean Money Clean Elections would enhance democracy by eliminating the deleterious influence of money in the political process, removing access to wealth as a major determinant of a citizen’s influence in the political process, and restoring the principle of “one person, one vote”, and

WHEREAS: Clean Money Clean Elections would level the playing field to give qualified citizens without access to big money a fair chance at winning office based on their ideas, ability, and integrity rather than how much money they can raise, and

WHEREAS: Clean Money Clean Elections would stop the endless money chase so that candidates are free of the constant need to raise money and those elected have more time to serve the public interest rather than constantly raising funds for their next campaign, and

WHEREAS: Clean Money Clean Elections would reduce the escalating costs of elections, and

WHEREAS: Polls show an overwhelming majority of citizens support public financing of campaigns so long as the candidates abide by spending limits and

WHEREAS: Partial reforms such as "matching funds" public financing systems will not meet the goals of greatly reducing the influence of large, private donors or allow citizens of modest means the ability to run competitively for public office and

WHEREAS: Clean Elections would enhance AAUW's ability to achieve our goals of equity for women and girls and increase the number of women able to run for elective office, therefore let it be

RESOLVED: That the American Association of University Women of New York State (AAUW NYS) urges the New York State Legislature to enact a Clean Elections system of full public financing into law in order to break the hold money interests have over the principle of one person, one vote and

FURTHER RESOLVED: that the AAUW NYS President and Public Policy Director send copies of this resolution to Governor David Paterson, Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco, and assembly members and senators.