"Doveryai no Proveryai" is a Russian proverb,
which means trust but verify. The reason that I write this is that
if our Governor and Legislature have their way, that proverb and the
following history will no longer be applicable to Alaskan
lawmakers. Their proposed legislation puts public policy behind
political gain.
From the APOC website:
“The impetus for campaign disclosure resulting
from the Watergate scandal, and a successful citizen initiative
effort convinced the state legislature to pass the Alaska Campaign
Disclosure Law (in 1974).
That same year, another initiative effort
succeeded in placing Alaska’s Public Official Financial Disclosure
Law on the ballot. In 1976, the legislature revised state lobbying
reporting by passing Alaska’s Lobbying Law.
In 1990, the legislature responded to an
increased demand for ethics regulation and disclosure by expanding
its previous reporting requirements.
In 1996, the legislature responded to a new
citizen initiative effort and revised Alaska's 20 year-old campaign
disclosure law to include stricter limitation and disclosure
measures, including the prohibition of corporate and out-of-state
group contributions to state and local candidates.”
Last month, the new State Legislature
introduced proposals to dismantle existing law requiring
accountability of funds spent by lobbyists to influence
legislation. Since last month, four bills have been introduced that
propose ending restrictions of direct contributions from lobbyists
to every Legislator, ending reporting requirements that reveal who’s
spending money to influence Legislators and replacing the Alaska
Public Offices Commission with an agency controlled by the Governor.
Alaska citizens initiatives created laws
demanding ethics and disclosure standards in three statewide
elections. Why do our Governor and Legislators now wish to
dismantle these safeguards? Is this good for Alaska? Who will
benefit?
The Alaska Voters Organization has published
the facts at
www.akvoters.org. showing the proposed
legislation SB-89/119 and HB-106/157. Please research the facts and
tell your Legislators and Governor how you feel about returning to
the pre-Watergate “good old days.”
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