Tony Avella for Mayor

Council Member Tony Avella and Dan Jacoby, an organizer with Democracy for
NYC, joined together yesterday on the steps of City Hall to announce that Tony will introduce legislation entitled “Clean Money, Clean Elections” at the next stated City Council meeting. If enacted, this legislation would allow candidates for city office to qualify for full public financing of their campaigns. Similar campaign finance programs already exist across the country in states such as Connecticut, Maine and Arizona, and in cities including Portland, Oregon and Albuquerque, New Mexico.

“Twenty years after the creation of our partial public funding program for local campaigns, the system has not only proven to be ineffective, but is also failing,” Tony said. “Under the current program, private fundraising is mostly from large, outside donors and bundlers. Under ‘Clean Money, Clean Elections’ private fundraising is strictly limited to small donations from constituents. ‘Clean Money, Clean Elections’ takes the election process away from special interests and expensive consultants, and gives it back to the candidates and the voters of the city of New York.”

Avella added, “I believe that the implementation of ‘Clean Money, Clean Election’ would end the corruption and unethical behavior that has permeated politics in this City. It is a change that is long overdue.” If the legislation is not passed in the City Council, Tony will make “Clean Money, Clean Elections” a priority, as Mayor.

How would it work?
Example:

*Current Program: City Council candidates must raise $5,000 from a minimum of 75 contributors and need 900 petition signatures to get on the ballot. Once on the ballot, the candidate could receive up to a maximum $88,550 in public funds. The candidate’s spending limit is $161,000 for the primary as well as another $161,000 spending limit for the general election.

*Clean Money, Clean Elections a City Council candidate would only have to raise 500 donations of $5 ($2,500) to receive full public financing of $100,000 for the primary and another $100,000 for the general election. In addition, to the obvious benefits of reducing the influence of special interests and lobbyists, under this new program, the total allowable spending for City offices would be reduced and ballot access would be easier, allowing independent candidates to run for office.