Posted on 10/27/2006 10:03:57 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
Ballot wars involving oil and tobacco interests, money from Hollywood and Silicon Valley, plus a governor's race, are shattering California campaign finance records, according to final pre-election reports released Thursday.
Overall spending on statewide races, 13 ballot initiatives and legislative seats will likely approach $500 million, predicted Sonoma State University political scientist Dave McCuan, an expert on ballot initiatives. The previous high-dollar mark was set last fall, when forces arrayed on all sides of the special election spent more than $250 million.
McCuan used to marvel that California's system of direct democracy was on steroids. ``It's bionic now,'' he said. ``This is the second-most-expensive exercise in democracy in the free world,'' after the last presidential election.
The phenomenon was on full display in the latest campaign reports, which cover spending and fundraising that occurred Oct. 1-21.
Locally, in the race for San Jose mayor, Vice Mayor Cindy Chavez has out-raised her opponent, Councilman Chuck Reed, by nearly $100,000. Chavez reached the maximum amount of $708,643, the voluntary spending cap she and Reed have agreed to honor. Reed reported $610,966.
In the governor's race, Arnold Schwarzenegger continues to out-raise Democrat Phil Angelides, who trails in the polls. In the first three weeks of October, Schwarzenegger collected cash three times as fast as Angelides, the state treasurer.
The latest report also confirms what's been widely expected: More money has been spent on Proposition 87, which would impose fees on oil extraction to fund research into alternative energy, than any other single ballot measure ever. Barrels of cash, more than $128 million, have been raised on both sides of the measure.
That dwarfs the old record of nearly $100 million set in 1998, as Indian tribes fought for the right to open casinos on tribal lands.
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
Some thought it could never happen.. whiles some here have worked hard to make sure that it did and that it will continue that way.
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