Nurse-Backed Measure Qualifies for Ballot
A measure by the California Nurses Association to publicly finance state election campaigns will appear on the November statewide ballot, the secretary of state's office announced Monday, the AP/Contra Costa Times reports.
The initiative would allow candidates who collect a certain number of signatures and $5 donations to be eligible for public financing for their campaigns if they agree not to accept private contributions. The measure would permit candidates to accept some private donations to fund the initial organization of a campaign.
The measure would fund the public financing election system through an increase in corporate taxes and the $5 contributions collected by candidates.
The measure would restrict to $10,000 corporate donations to ballot measure campaigns. It also would limit individuals' annual campaign donations to:
- $500 to legislative candidates who forego public financing;
- $1,000 to statewide candidates who opt out of public financing;
- $1,000 to independent expenditure committees; and
- $15,000 total from an individual to candidates and campaign committees that support or oppose candidates.