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Two governors named Jim can't be wrong
Two former Tar Heel governors – one Democrat and one Republican – have united behind a campaign to encourage North Carolina taxpayers to check a box that would send $3 to a fund aimed at public financing for statewide judicial races.
In addition to support from the two Jims – Hunt and Holshouser – the effort has broad bipartisan backing from current political leaders including Gov. Mike Easley, House Speaker Jim Black, House Speaker Pro Tem Richard Morgan and Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight.
A coalition of reform groups, including Democracy North Carolina and N.C. Voters for Clean Elections, has embarked on a statewide "Say Yes" tour to educate taxpayers about the check-off box and encourage them to earmark that $3 of their taxes to provide an alternative source of campaign money for judicial candidates.
Democracy N.C.'s Adam Sotak stopped by The Herald Monday as part of that effort. He and others are so committed to the cause that they are literally traveling from Manteo to Murphy to win grassroots support for the initiative.
Checking the box in no way increases a person's tax bill or decreases a refund, Sotak said. It just means that $3 of the taxes they already owe will be used to provide public financing to judicial candidates and produce a voter guide containing detailed information about candidates seeking a seat on the bench.
"It gives judicial candidates 'clean money' so they don't have to take private money," Sotak said. "Change is not easy. The truth is the check-off box gives people a simple way to do something, right now, that will make our elections 'voter-owned' and help change the corrupting influence of big money over government."
According to Sotak, who's been with Democracy N.C. for five years, the issue of campaign finance reform is one of the most important facing our nations.
Peg Chapin, co-president of the N.C. League of Women voters, agrees with regard to the importance of the effort.
"We think it's better to have clean, public funds support candidates who earn the voters' approval than to leave judicial candidates with no choice except to take private money from donors who often push an agenda in the courts," Chapin said. "The check-off promises fair elections and fair courts. It just makes good sense."
A letter circulating from the Governors Jim refers to the tax return option as a "mystery box."
"We are writing to alert people about a 'mystery box' on the North Carolina income tax form. By finding and marking the box 'yes,' you'll help protect our courts from special-interest influence – and it won't cost you anything," say Hunt and Holshouser.
The former governors go on to urge their constituents to "look hard for a question about the Public Campaign Fund. It may say, 'Do you want to send $3 of the taxes you are already paying to the N.C. Public Campaign Fund?' The wording used by software packages and accountants varies greatly and can cause confusion."
The letter concludes with the two urging taxpayers to find the box and then "check 'Yes' for fair courts."
The N.C. Public Campaign Fund was first implemented during last year's elections, and a majority of statewide judicial candidates chose to participate. In the five appellate court races of 2004, 12 of the 16 candidates qualified for public financing. Two others tried but failed to raise enough in qualifying funds to participate. Only two of the 16 candidates opted out, and four of the five winners used public financing – the fifth enrolled but failed to qualify.
When given a full description of the pros and cons, 71 percent of people polled support funding a voter guide in judicial elections and offering a public financing option to judicial candidates who accept strict spending limits, according to Chris Heagarty of the N.C. Center for Voter Education.
"That's why we're kicking off the ('Say Yes') tour again this year," he said. "We need to educate taxpayers about the check-off box and why it's important."
Thanks to the efforts of the two former governors and of groups like Democracy N.C. and N.C. Voters for Clean Elections, North Carolina has been hailed as a national model for judicial reform. Unlike their counterparts in other states that experienced some expensive and nasty judicial elections in 2004, Tar Heel voters were spared million-dollar media campaigns, highly-charged negative ads, and special interests spending big money to influence our courts.
"This is a chance for people to have a say in how we run our elections," said Tana Hartman, president of N.C. Voters for Clean Elections. "With the help of our coalition members, we're getting the word out and encouraging people to take a stand for courts free from special interests. We're not only giving judges a choice, but voters a choice, too."
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