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| For Immediate Release |
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For More Information, contact:
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| Wednesday, October 4, 2000 |
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Kim Alexander or Saskia Mills
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(916) 325-2120; info@calvoter.org
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Top Ten Donors list debuts on the Net at www.calvoter.org!
$23.6 million raised for and against California propositions through 6/30/00
Sacramento, CA -- California proposition campaigns raised $23.6 million through June
30 to support and oppose eight measures on the state's November 7th ballot, according
to figures released today by the California Voter Foundation, available online at:
www.calvoter.org/2000/general/propositions/topten.html
The nonprofit group analyzed ballot measure fundraising and spending for all eight
measures and found that Prop. 39 is the most expensive campaign so far, with committees
reporting a combined total of $8.6 million raised to support and oppose this measure,
which would lower the vote requirement needed to pass local school bonds from two
thirds to 55 percent. Prop. 35, a measure that would allow state agencies to contract
with private firms on public works projects, ranked as the second most expensive
measure with a total of $6.8 million raised, followed by Prop. 38, the school voucher
initiative, at $4.9 million.
The nonprofit organization's research is available online at www.calvoter.org and
includes an itemized list of the top ten donors for and against each measure on the
ballot as well as summary fundraising and spending figures.
"Our Top
Ten Donors list is a great shortcut that voters can use to quickly determine
which groups are supporting and opposing California propositions," said Kim
Alexander, CVF's president and founder. "Although this November's load of ballot
measures is lighter than usual, the issues before voters are still complex and confusing.
Our Top Ten Donors list, along with all of the other reliable, nonpartisan information
available through our California Online Voter Guide, helps busy voters find out who's
really behind these measures and prepare to make informed, confident decisions."
CVF has been publishing campaign finance data on the Internet since 1995, when the
organization produced the world's first real-time, online campaign finance database
for that year's San Francisco mayoral election. CVF's ongoing efforts to advance
Internet disclosure of money in politics led to the landmark 1997 Online Disclosure
Act, a state law being implemented this year that mandates electronic filing of,
and instant Internet access to California campaign disclosure reports.
The new disclosure law will be fully implemented tomorrow, when the mandatory electronic
filing threshold drops to $50,000. Any state campaign or committee that raises that
amount as of July 1, 2000 will be required to disclose their contributions and expenditures
over the Internet. "October 5 is an important day in California's history",
Alexander said. "The Secretary of State's web site will soon be packed with
disclosure data for every major campaign and political committee in this state. For
years the influence of money in politics has been hidden in piles of paper filed
away in government offices. Now California is moving into the digital sunlight by
providing the public with timely and convenient access to crucial public records
that help voters make more informed choices, promote accountability in government,
and expose the role money plays in our political process."
The California Voter Foundation will frequently update its campaign finance figures
throughout the election season as new reports are disclosed. CVF's research is based
on disclosure reports filed by proposition campaign committees, and includes all
funds raised to support or oppose each measure, including costs to qualify the measure
for the ballot, through June 30, 2000.
CVF's Top Ten Donors list is part of the Fall 2000 California Online Voter Guide,
a nonpartisan clearinghouse of links and information about the upcoming election.
Now in its seventh edition, this noncommercial guide covers 162 state and federal
contests in California, including the eight statewide propositions, the presidential
election, California's U.S. Senate race, 52 U.S. House contests, and 100 state legislative
races. Highlights include contact information for proposition campaigns and all 525
federal and state candidates on California's ballot and links to hundreds of official
campaign web sites.
CVF's Top Ten Donors list is made possible by a generous grant from the Carnegie
Corporation of New York. Additional support for CVF's 2000 Election projects has
been provided by the The James Irvine Foundation, the William & Flora Hewlett
Foundation, the Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation and the Markle Foundation. The
California Voter Foundation is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization funded by tax-exempt
contributions from foundations, businesses and individuals. For more information,
visit www.calvoter.org.
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This page first published October 4, 2000 -- last updated October 4,
2000