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 This
program addresses actions that can be taken on the state
level to lessen the influence of money in political campaigns.
The Fund for New Jersey's Agenda New Jersey report lays
out several recommendations for what can be done to work
toward campaign reform. However, after the Agenda: New Jersey
report was written (sometime in early 2002) the Bipartisan
Campaign Reform Act was signed into law. This new law mandates
that after the November 2002 elections, national parties
will be banned from raising soft money for campaigns. There
is some debate as to whether the federal law will have any
effect on political campaigns on the state level.
The Agenda New Jersey report outlines several recommendations
for campaign finance reform in New Jersey. Among them are:
- New Jersey should prohibit direct campaign contributions
from corporations.
- Individuals or businesses engaged in a contractual arrangement
with the state, or actively seeking to be, should be banned
from making campaign contributions.
- To remedy the problem with leadership PACs, New Jersey
should lower the limit on contributions to leadership
PACs and state party committees.
- New Jersey should establish a system of public financing
for legislative races.
- There should be a ban on soft money from national political
parties to New Jersey parties.
- If a campaign ad does not mention the candidate's name
or the office sought, it should still be counted against
that candidate's spending if it is obviously helpful to
his or her campaign.
For the entire Agenda New Jersey campaign finance report,
go to www.fundfornj.org
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