Seattle’s Democracy Voucher Program may use a commonsense tweak.
As an alternative of mailing out the $100 value of property tax-funded marketing campaign donations to voters round March 1, the Seattle Ethics and Elections Fee ought to attend till the deadline for candidates to file for public workplace.
This 12 months, that’s Could 9.
That approach, residents would know all of the hopefuls who threw their hat into the ring and never undergo purchaser’s regret if somebody extra to their liking comes alongside.
By mailing out the vouchers three months early, the present system appears to favor incumbents equivalent to Mayor Bruce Harrell, who has despatched repeated fundraising emails within the final month asking for them, despite the fact that the candidate subject is bound to evolve between now and the Could submitting deadline.
On Monday, Harrell introduced his proposal to resume Seattle’s Democracy Voucher Program, which is expiring on the finish of this 12 months.
In accordance with a Harrell information launch, the Democracy Voucher Program is “a first-of-its-kind public marketing campaign financing system which goals to extend participation, cut back the affect of massive cash in politics, and make town’s elections extra accessible and clear.”
SEEC sends 4 $25 democracy vouchers to eligible residents throughout municipal election cycles. Residents then donate their vouchers to certified campaigns.
If the intention of this system was to cut back cash in politics, the observe report isn’t good.
For the reason that Democracy Voucher Program was applied in 2017, contributions to metropolis campaigns have sharply elevated. In 2015, contributions totaled $6.1 million. Each odd 12 months since has seen more cash in native politics, with the report to this point in 2021 with $17.5 million.
Harrell’s proposal would renew this system by levying a $45 million property tax over 10 years, costing the proprietor of a Seattle dwelling assessed on the median worth about $12.20 a 12 months. That’s a 50% improve from the $30 million over 10 years that voters authorized again in 2015.
The proposal has been transmitted to the Seattle Metropolis Council, which is able to determine whether or not to put it on the August poll.
In accordance with Harrell, if the voters approve the measure, metropolis leaders will convene a piece group subsequent 12 months to make suggestions on program enhancements to succeed in extra residents in various communities and empower native campaigns by addressing the function of political motion committees in municipal elections.
Let’s hope this tinkering doesn’t result in particular pursuits searching for benefits, as occurred in earlier election “reforms.”
And shifting the mailing date for vouchers to the identical week because the submitting deadline should be prime on the agenda.
