Work to start on Suffolk's public campaign financing plan

Suffolk Legis. Rob Calarco (D-Patchogue), shown in 2017, sponsored a public campaign financing bill. Credit: James Carbone
Suffolk County’s entry into the brave new world of public campaign financing may still be two years away from its official launch, but work starts this month to create the bureaucracy needed to get the system up and running.
At the same time, Republicans, who originally voted against the plan at the end of 2017, are making a last-ditch proposal to do away with the whole idea before it can get off the ground.
Bill sponsor Legis. Rob Calarco (D-Patchogue) said the legislation will create a system, similar to New York City’s law, that will level the playing field for new candidates with matching funds while capping donations in local campaigns. “This will increase public confidence that their voices matter in elections and increases their influence over that of big money,” Calarco said.
But Legis. Robert Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) is sponsoring a repeal measure saying the county cannot afford it. “Given our repeated bond downgrades, we should be using what money we have to reducing our deficit, not put it in politicians' pockets,” he said. Trotta also said it will raise campaign costs.
The new system would allow legislative candidates, beginning with the 2021 election, to get as much as $50,000 in a 4-to-1 public match to contributions of $250 or less from residents in a legislative district. Starting in 2023, county executive candidates could qualify for as much as $1 million, while donations would be capped at $25,000, about $20,000 less than the current limit. Legislative candidate taking public funding would be capped to spending $100,000 and county executive candidates $2 million.
But to make the system work, the law creates a three-member campaign finance board to make rules and policies. The legislature’s majority and minority leader each have a pick as does the county executive. And the apparatus has to be ready to go the day after this November’s legislative races, when the new campaign cycle begins and give contenders time to decide if they want to take part in the voluntary program.
Under the law, board members must have expertise in either law, academia, education or the nonprofit sector, and not be a party official, campaign operative, lobbyist or a spouse of an elected or appointed official. No two members should come from the same political party.
While selections were due by Jan. 1, so far only Republicans have named their selection — retired District Court Judge John J. Toomey Jr. The board's first meeting is scheduled for Jan. 15. Once in place, the new board needs to appoint an executive director, secretary, independent counsel, a secretary and other needed staff.
Dating back to last summer, County Executive Steve Bellone got a waiver spend up to $30,000 to hire Nicole Gordon, founding executive director of the city campaign finance board, to help develop plans, despite pushback from lawmakers that the as-yet unnamed board should drive such decisions, not the county executive.
The legislation calls for the funding for matching funds and operations to come from Suffolk Off-Track Betting Corp.’s Jake’s 58 casino — initially $1 million a year or 20 percent of the county’s share of revenues, whichever is greater. However, funding for board operations is limited to 20 percent.
Trotta said he proposed the repeal measure because of the county’s continued fiscal decline and changes in the legislature’s make-up since the law was first approved a little more than a year ago. The bill originally passed in 11-7 vote when Democrat Legis. Al Krupski joining Republicans citing fiscal concerns.
Since then, Democratic Legis. Monica Martinez of Brentwood departed for the state Senate and term-limited ex-Legis. Kate Browning of Shirley was replaced by Republican Legis. Rudolph Sunderman of Mastic. One new Democrat lawmaker, Tom Donnelly of Deer Park, said he is undecided and wants to review the legislation further, but is leaning to backing Calarco’s original bill. Fellow freshman Democratic Legis. Susan Berland of Dix Hills said she is “looking at the [Calarco’s] bill and reviewing it.”
However, Calarco expressed confidence that support for public financing will remain strong. “I’m confident my colleagues will give my bill time to see if it can accomplish its goals,” he said.
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