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As former mayors and governors, we have witnessed firsthand the influence of money in politics. We have seen how wealthy donors and special interests can sway the decisions of elected officials, often at the expense of the public good. We have also seen how the cost of running for office can deter qualified and diverse candidates from entering the political arena, limiting the choices and voices of the voters.
That is why we strongly support the adoption of fully publicly financed elections in Hawaii as proposed in Senate Bill 1543. This system would provide candidates with a fixed amount of public funds to run their campaigns, in exchange for agreeing to limit their spending and reject private donations. This would level the playing field for all candidates, regardless of their personal wealth or connections. It would also free them from the constant pressure of fundraising and allow them to focus on the issues that matter to the people of Hawaii.
A better system leads to better outcomes
More diverse and representative candidates would emerge, because more women, minorities and people from different backgrounds and perspectives would have the opportunity to run for office and serve their communities.
Breaking the link between private donations and political power can lead to better policy outcomes for everyone. When lawmakers are not constantly worried about upsetting wealthy donors, they can focus on their constituents’ needs and push for policies that benefit the greater good rather than just a select few.
After Connecticut implemented full publicly financed elections they ended a $24 million per year corporate tax giveaway that advocates had been fighting for for many years. This saves taxpayers much more than the $7 million annual cost of the public financing program.
SB 1543 can empower Hawaii legislators to take on powerful industries that have long opposed popular reforms like affordable housing and climate change. It’s clear why more than 70% of Hawaii voters support public financing of elections.
Campaigning without private money helps to end corruption
The Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct — created after former Rep. Ty Cullen and former Sen. J. Kalani English’s corruption scandals — recommended enhancing public financing to help get private money out of elections.
Its report states that “public funding expands the reach of many small donors and can relieve candidates of the need to rely on the support of special interest groups or large donors.” SB 1543 would achieve this goal and is endorsed by the CISC.
An affordable program worth more than the price tag
Cost should not hinder SB 1543’s passage. The Hawaii County Council’s program and similar initiatives in other states have demonstrated that fully publicly financed elections are cost-effective and can yield long-term savings. The estimated cost of this program is less than $10 million per year, even with high participation rates, which is less than 0.1% of the state budget.
With a surplus of over $2 billion, and the legislature debating proposals to put $500 million into a rainy day fund and to cut taxes by over $90 million per year for the top 20% of income earners, the resources to successfully operate this program are clearly available.
We call on the entire Legislature to adopt fully publicly financed elections and urge money committee chairs Rep. Kyle Yamashita and Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz and the other Finance and Ways and Means committee members to allocate the necessary funds for the successful implementation of this program. This is not only a matter of fairness and justice, but also a matter of survival and prosperity for Hawaii. We cannot afford to let money continue to dominate our politics and undermine our democracy. We need to empower our people and restore our aloha spirit in government.
John Waihee III and Neil Abercrombie are former Hawaii governors; JoAnn Yukimura, Harry Kim and Kirk Caldwell are former mayors, respectively, of Kauai, Hawaii County, and the City and County of Honolulu.
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