1. Public Financing in Seattle Wayne Barnett, Executive Director Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission

2. Brief Overview: Seattle’s Form of Government
Eleven elected officials
Mayor
Nine at-large City councilmembers
City Attorney
Four-year terms
All full-time positions
Population: Approximately 585,000
Registered Voters: Approximately 387,000
Act I: Seattle Experiments with Public Financing – 1979 to 1991

3. Act I: Seattle’s Early Experiment with Public Financing – 1979 to 1991
Expenditure Limits
Match of up to $50 for contribution from individual City resident
Upheld by the State Supreme Court as permissible use of public funds
Popular with candidates – Nine of ten general election candidates in 1991 participated in the program
Program cost $330,000 in 1989 and $250,000 in 1991 ($565,000 and $390,000 adjusted for inflation)

4. Act II: The long winter – 1992 to 2008
In 1992, State voters enacted Initiative 134, which among other things barred public financing.
“Public funds, whether derived through taxes, fees, penalties, or any other sources, shall not be used to finance political campaigns for state or local office.”
City unsuccessfully fought for right to reinstate program for sixteen years.

5. 2003 City Council Fundraising
Heidi Wills ,118
Margaret Pageler 223,766
Tom Rasmussen 209,168
Judy Nicastro 170,456
Jean Godden 153,762
David Della ,985
Peter Steinbrueck 133,756
Jim Compton 111,903
John Manning 18,401
Zander Batchelder ,337

6. 2005 City Council Fundraising
Richard Conlin 269,939
Jan Drago 253,577
Paige Miller 236,817
Dwight Pelz 232,563
Casey Corr 231,993
Richard McIver 214,627
Nick Licata 103,001
Paul Bascomb ,468

7. 2007 City Council Fundraising
Tim Burgess 353,397
Bruce Harrell 290,077
David Della 261,226
Venus Velazquez 244,864
Jean Godden 227,560
Tom Rasmussen 201,795
Councilmember Rasmussen ran unopposed.
Sally Clark 176,745
Joe Szwaja ,025
Judy Fenton ,199

10. Act III: New Life for Public Financing
2008 – State legislature repeals bar on local public financing, but
Requires public vote before adoption of program.

11. New Life for Public Financing
2008 – Council and Mayor create nine-member advisory committee to examine issue
Short time-frame – possibility of going to the ballot in 2008
Six members recommend Arizona or Maine-like program, with “super match” as a fallback option.

12. What’s the hold-up?
Median housing price down 20 percent from peak and still falling
Seattle metropolitan area unemployment rate at 8.8 percent and climbing. Up from 4.1 percent in February 2008
Budget shortfall of more than $40M projected for both 2009 and 2010; $80M hole to plug
Furloughs, layoffs, cuts in services

13. Voter-Owned Election Design – City Council and City Attorney
To qualify, candidate must secure 1,000 signatures and $10,000 in donations of $10 increments.
City provides $140,000 for primary election.
Qualifying candidate may access $30,000 of these funds prior to having an opponent.
City provides $100,000 in public funds for the general election.
Candidate must agree to spend no more than $250,000.
Matching funds available when privately or self-financed candidate exceeds the expenditure cap, or when a group makes independent expenditures.

14. Voter-Owned Election Design – Mayoral races
To qualify, candidate must secure 1,500 signatures and $15,000 in donations of $10 increments.
City provides $435,000 for primary election.
Qualifying candidate may access $105,000 of these funds prior to having an opponent.
City provides $300,000 in public funds for the general election.
Candidate must agree to spend no more than $750,000.
Matching funds when privately or self-financed candidate exceeds the expenditure cap, or when group makes independent expenditures.

15. Voter-Owned Election Cost Estimates

16. Supermatch – City Council and City Attorney races

17. Supermatch – Mayoral Races

18. Supermatch Cost Estimates

19. Next steps 2009 – Public outreach.
Early 2010 – City Council decides threshold question: What kind of program do we want?
Spring 2010 – Design program.
Fall 2010 – Put measure to the voters.