Seattle gives residents $100 to donate to local politicians

washingtonexaminer.com ^ | 1/23/17 | Anna Giaritelli

[ColdOne]

Seattle is offering voters $100 in "democracy vouchers" to donate to political candidates in an effort to limit big money in politics and boost civic involvement in elections.

Earlier this month, the first of the vouchers were mailed out for its inaugural run in citywide races in the fall.

The program is the first of its kind in the country and was supported by nearly two-thirds of voters in King County, Wash., as a ballot measure in 2015. In its run-up to the election, the "Honest Elections" measure, or Initiative 122, was touted as a way to motivate lesser-known candidates to run for office.

[VanDeKoik]

So the tax coffers are a slush fund?!

[Samurai_Jack]

Is this even legal?

[SSS Two]

May the residents take the $100 as a tax refund? Or is the city specifying that politicians, not residents, are eligible for the money.

[ColdOne]

It seems so.

[NEMDF]

How does this work? They take $100 from each person in taxes, and then give it back to the person?

This sounds maroonic.

[Flick Lives]

Collect taxes from people.
Give back money to people in form of a “democracy voucher”.
People donate “voucher” to politicians.

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I think this is called money laundering.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Property tax I believe...so renters get to spend property owners’ dollars on politicians who want to impose rent control.

[Huskrrrr]

I’m using my name as a write-in candidate.

[BlueLancer]

[D_Idaho]

Money to burn.

[Army Air Corps]

A person could buy a lot of booze and cigs with $100.

[mrsmith]

If they’re like Food Stamps, and can be redeemed for half their value in drugs, then it’ll be a “success”!

[samtheman]

The Clintons are scheming for a way to list the Foundation as a “local politician”.

[AlaskaErik]

A person could buy a lot of booze and cigs with $100.

Yeah, like one carton of cigarettes and a couple of bottles of gutrot.

[jackibutterfly]

"How does this work? They take $100 from each person in taxes, and then give it back to the person? This sounds maroonic."

You're right, it IS moronic - they're NOT going to give it to any politicians; they're going to keep the $100 and spend it the way they want.

[Getready]

The seattle rain has entired and now resides in the brains of the seattle government.

[jackibutterfly]

"They want the current rate of 1.5 percent of Seattle residents donating to political campaigns to increase to 4 or even 14 percent. Minnesota has the highest percentage, with 5 percent of residents donating."

What the heck does Minnesota have to do with anything???

[jackibutterfly]

""Voucher system is very exciting because every voter in the city will have an opportunity in the city to give a small contribution without having to use any money from their own pocket," said Brent Ferguson,..."

Where does he think the money is coming from, the big dope!

[Captain Compassion]

Buy the vouchers for 50 cents on the dollar from the voters and sell to politicians for 75 cents on the dollar. Everyone wins. Well except the tax payers.