The Chapel Hill Town Council approved a pilot public campaign-financing program, in the works for five years, at its meeting June 9. The program will begin with the fall 2009 municipal elections.
Chapel Hill is the first N.C. municipality to enact this type of program. The General Assembly authorized the town to do so in 2007.
Using the fund is voluntary for candidates, but for taxpayers, contributing to the fund is not.
"This involves taxpayers' money," council member Matt Czajkowski said. "It comes at a time when taxes have increased 11 percent."
Council member Ed Harrison said the program would cost each Chapel Hill resident about $1.88 during its four-year span.
Many citizens raised concerns that the system masks an incumbent protection act. To use the fund, a candidate for Town Council must demonstrate public support by raising $750 from 75 different contributors, and a mayoral candidate must raise $1,500 from 150 different contributors.
"A candidate who is a moderate, a genuine independent, a Republican or a newcomer will have a much more difficult time getting the 75 financial contributions needed to qualify for matching public funds," Terri Tyson, a Chapel Hill resident, said in a letter to the council.
Mayor Kevin Foy said that in 1995, the council made a then-controversial decision to limit individual contributions to $250 and to require full disclosure of contribution sources. Now, he said, the council is taking similar action.
"This is to ensure that in the long term, our politics in Chapel Hill are not polluted by money," he said.
The council recognized other benefits of the program, including the restrictions on campaign spending, the lowering of campaign barriers for the non-wealthy and the increased visibility of the source of campaign funds.
"The only thing it does is make the process more transparent and open the door for many others," council member Mark Kleinschmidt said.
Czajkowski suggested to the council that it resolve the issue by making it a referendum on November's ballot.
"If we believe this is a good thing, then turn it over to the people of Chapel Hill," he said.
But in the end, the council passed the resolution itself.
A related resolution passed at the meeting will provide for twice-a-year information sessions about the program for prospective candidates.
The council also unanimously passed the 2008-09 budget, which included $25,000 to begin the Voter Owned Elections Fund.
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