Buffalo-area Experts on Campaign Finance Provide Insight at “Fair Elections Community Forum: Why Campaign Finance Reform? Because Democracy Matters”
Buffalo, NY – Members of the Fair Elections for New York coalition hosted a community forum at WNED Buffalo, moderated by Rod Watson of the Buffalo News, to highlight the importance of Fair Elections and what it would mean for voters.
The “Fair Elections Community Forum: Why Campaign Finance Reform? Because Democracy Matters!“ was co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters, Citizen Action of New York, United Auto Workers Region 9, Democracy Matters, MoveOn, and the Western New York Peace Center.
“Community forums such as this are critical to building awareness around important issues in New York and are emblematic of the kind of reform we are working to bring to this state,” said Jim Anderson, Vice President of Citizen Action of New York. “Fair Elections would dramatically change the way a vast majority of voters interact with their elected representatives and would put the voters back in control of their elections, rather than big money CEO campaign contributors trying to buy the policies they want.”
The panel was composed of various representatives of Buffalo-area community and labor groups along with experts on campaign finance reform, including Sally Robinson, President and Director of Issues and Advocacy with the League of Women Voters of New York; former candidate, Ellen Kennedy; Jennifer Mecozzi, Director of Organizing for People United for Sustainable Housing (PUSH), Pastor George Nicholas, Lincoln United Methodist and Metropolitan Methodist Church; Paul Schuh, Director for New York State CAP and UAW Region 9; and Joan Mandle, Executive Director of Democracy Matters.
They spoke about the need of diluting the influence of big money in our elections and empowering the small donor by implementing Fair Elections, publicly financed elections, for New York. In New York City, public financing has radically changed the way campaigns are run and has led to more diverse representation on the City Council that is more representative of the city itself.
“The people of New York have the power to get big money out of politics and people back in by passing Fair Elections. We need to stop the corporate takeover of our democracy,” said Joan Mandle, Executive Director of Democracy Matters.
“The League believes campaign finance reform is the pathway to solving other major state problems, including increasing voter participation, enabling candidates to compete more equitably for public office, and lessening the impact of special interests on governmental processes,” said Lynda Stephens, a member of the League of Women Voters of Buffalo/Niagara. “Fair Elections is crucial to putting voters back in the hands of voters rather than under the control of special interests.”
For more information on Fair Elections for New York, go to http://fairelectionsny.org.
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