Will California’s Prop. 4 curb the influence of money in politics?

In summary Prop. 4 would lift a ban that prohibits state and most local candidates from using public funding for their political campaigns. Proponents argue the mechanism helps more candidates run for office, but opponents are skeptical. In 1988, a Democrat, a Republican and an independent in the state Legislature co-authored a ballot measure to ban most political campaigns from using public money. Their rationale? There was already too much money in politics. “It certainly makes no sense to open the biggest money source of all, the taxpayers’ purses and wallets,” proponents argued. Nearly 60% of voters agreed. Almost four decades later, some good-government groups argue that the state needs to do the exact opposite to counter the influence of money in politics.

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