After the votes were counted in November and before the corks were popped to welcome in the new year, some politicians in Illinois were in a fevered frenzy to raise money ? lots of money.
Dec. 31 was more than the end of a long year; it was the last day it would be legal for anyone to make unlimited campaign contributions. With the first controls about to be established on a campaign finance system that had earned a national reputation as the Wild West of campaign cash, many politicians made a mad rush for unlimited dollars.
Between the end of the gubernatorial campaign and the start of limits in 2011, nearly $13 million came into the campaign system in amounts that would exceed the new limits. That rush by candidates and other committees to rake in unlimited funds is a clear indication that politicians understand the rules are changing and will have an impact.
The candidates for mayor of Chicago are among the first to feel the impact. They may have participated in the last-minute drive for unlimited dollars, but now they must abide by the state-imposed limits on the size of contributions to political campaigns.
After many years of government scandals tied to campaign contributors and government decisions made due to an officeholder’s allegiance to mega-bucks contributors, the playing field is beginning to level.
Today, contributions to all candidates by individuals are limited to a maximum of $5,000 per election, businesses and associations are limited to $10,000 per candidate, and political-action committees are limited to no more than $50,000 per candidate. Those are considerably lower than the size of many contributions made in the recent state elections, and they are well below some of the contributions made to Chicago mayoral candidates and other committees shortly before the limits took effect.
The limits law is an important first step. It limited money from all sources of contributions in primary elections, but it did not limit contributions in the general election from political parties or committees controlled by leaders of the General Assembly. Those leader and party limits should be extended to cover year-round contributions, and we need to monitor implementation of the limits and act quickly to address problems, if they arise.
The CHANGE Illinois! coalition fought for the limits law and the accompanying new enforcement and disclosure requirements, and we continue to work for other improvements that will help make government more responsive to the interests and needs of all of its residents.
The enactment of contribution limits is a good start to leveling the electoral playing field and creating genuine competition in our democracy, but we need more citizen involvement, more people willing to run for office and more voters acting as watchdogs and holding elected leaders accountable. CHANGE Illinois! will continue to work for these.
— Peter Bensinger, co-chair, CHANGE Illinois! — Deborah Harrington, co-chair, CHANGE Illinois! — George Ranney, co-chair, CHANGE Illinois!
