City Inside/Out episodes

Should taxpayers help finance political campaigns? The Seattle City Council is looking at ways to encourage more competition in local races by giving small-dollar donors and lesser-known candidates a power boost. Will more Seattleites run for office if the city matches what they raise by 600 percent? Will public financing lower influence-peddling at City Hall? We examine the push to change election economics in Seattle. For background, we hear from Wayne Barnett, executive director of the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission and Rory O`Sullivan, chairman of Fair Elections Seattle. We also get perspective from former City Council candidate Bobby Forch and George Allen of the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce. In studio, we are joined by Seattle City Councilmember Mike O`Brien, Seattle Ethics and Elections Commissioner Bruce Carter and Bill Maurer, executive director of the Institute for Justice (Washington Chapter). Is public campaign financing a good idea? How will you vote on this multi-million dollar measure this fall?