Jumaane Williams Moves to Create Public Campaign Financing

Councilman Jumaane Williams, D-Ditmas Park, introduced a resolution at the New York City Council's stated meeting Mon., Sept. 24, to provide optional public campaign financing for statewide offices, state legislative offices and constitutional convention delegates.

The resolution, known as the 2012 Fair Elections Act, was sponsored by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan, and State Senate Minority Leader John Sampson, D-Brooklyn.

The Act would require a candidate to have a minimum number of small donors who must be from their district, to limit the influence of big donors in elections.

After meeting all of the requirements, candidates would be allowed to receive six to one matching contributions on donations of less than $20; this process would be similar to the model of the New York City Campaign Finance Board. Additionally, public funding would be capped at a specific limit, dependent on the office being pursued.

"To restore trust and equity to our politics, we must remove the stranglehold that money has placed on our elections," Williams said in a statement.

"We have already seen the corrosive effect of Citizens United on this year's presidential campaigns," he continued. 

"Rather than moving toward the Washington model, Albany should be looking to New York City and how our Campaign Finance Board has expanded access and shifted the focus of our electoral process from fundraising to local issues."