Public Matching Funds Program Amplifies Voices of NYC Voters
Public Matching Funds Program Amplifies Voices of New York City Voters
New York City's Campaign Finance Board's releasing a report on the 2013 election today. It has some good news for voters.
Many New York City residents may not know their city has a number of laws in place to help prevent corrupt campaign fundraising that the state doesn't have.
The city's Campaign Finance Board says the star of the show's the public matching funds program. It provides $6 of city money for every $1 candidates raise in small donations from city residents. The board's post-election report found 92% of candidates participated in the program in last year's primary.
The board's executive director Amy Loprest says that means New York City candidates focused on the voters, not special interest groups or big business.
"At a time when massive contributions seem to be drowning out the voice of average citizens, I think New Yorkers are fortunate to have a system that amplifies their voice," she said.
Loprest says New York State's considering a matching program modeled on the city's. She says the state's testing a pilot program this year for the Comptroller election.
