Patrick McGreevy | L.A. Times | May 21, 2010
California voters are being asked on the June 8 ballot to approve an experiment in state funding of political campaigns.
Backers of Proposition 15 say it would reduce the corrupting influence of special-interest money. Opponents say it would be a costly mistake, full of loopholes allowing politicians to continue benefiting from moneyed supporters.
The measure, called the California Fair Elections Act, would test the waters on government funding by applying it only to the elections for secretary of state in 2014 and 2018. Each of those elections would cost the state an estimated $6 million, with most of the money coming from an increase in registration fees paid to the state by lobbyists, lobbying firms and their clients.