Yesterday, the House voted to pass HB818, Public Financing of Statewide Campaigns. I was up in Santa Fe on business, so I had a chance to wander over to the Roundhouse and listen to some of the debate that took place on this bill.
Specifically, I caught Minority Whip Dan Foley make some very solid points against the bill. Points like, and I paraphrase:
- Public financing means that any hate monger can run for office and get their message pounded home at taxpayer expense.
- The bill gives unchecked power to the Secretary of State to determine who does and who does not qualify for public funding. Leading to the potential for more, not less corruption.
Others also spoke out including Representative Kathy McCoy, who made the point of correcting Speaker Ben Lujan’s assertion that the bill had been unanimously endorsed by the ethics task force created by Governor Bill Richardson.