Comptroller DiNapoli’s Campaign Finance Reform Proposal

Since taking office in 2007, State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli has pushed to change how campaigns are funded in New York. He believes that public financing of campaigns drastically reduces the possibility of outside influence on government and creates a level playing field for candidates of all means.

DiNapoli supports public campaign financing for all legislative and statewide races and has proposed legislation for public financing of the 2010 State Comptroller race. He is advocating for a phased in approach: starting with the 2010 Comptroller race, followed by the 2012 legislative elections and the full slate of statewide races in 2014.

Even without changes to the law, DiNapoli is the only statewide official who has implemented self-imposed limits on his campaign fundraising to less than half the legal limits. He did not raise any campaign money in the first 15 months he was in office and focused his efforts on reforming how the Office of the State Comptroller does business, while at the same time advocating for campaign finance reform.

DiNapoli’s legislative proposal for public financing of the 2010 State Comptroller race includes:

• Strict spending limits of $5 million per candidate for the primary election and $7.5 million per candidate for the general election;
• Matching public funds of $6 for every dollar raised for the 2010 general election and $4 for every dollar raised for a primary;
• Limiting individual contributions to $10,000 and only the first $2,500 would be matched;
• Requiring candidates to engage in public debates, including at least one debate before a primary and at least two debates before the general election;
• Providing matching funds to all candidates if they agree to spending caps, strict reporting requirements and mandated monitoring;
• Creating a new, independent seven-member Campaign Finance Board;
• Providing more limited matching funds for non-participating candidates at $5 for each dollar raised for a primary election and $7 for each dollar raised for the general election. If a non-participating candidate spends more than twice the spending limit, participating candidates would be able to raise funds in accordance with existing contribution rules; and
• Imposing limits on how campaign funds can be spent and civil and criminal penalties associated with breaking the rules.

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