By Bob Katzen
A bill before the Election Laws Committee would apply the state’s campaign finance election laws to political entities or expenditures made to influence the outcome of articles that appear on Town Meeting warrants.
“Local policy decisions should be made by town residents, but a loophole in campaign finance law allows for unfettered spending by outside groups to sway town decisions,” said co-sponsor Rep. Dylan Fernandes (D-Falmouth). “Our bill closes the loophole and stems the flow of dark money that too often drowns out the voice of locals. It’s time to give power back to the people.”
“Political spending on issues before Town Meetings should be required to follow the same rules of the road as candidates, ballot questions and other political campaigns,” said co-sponsor Sen. Julian Cyr (D-Truro). “It’s bewildering and distressing that people with deep pockets and financial interests think they can buy their way into our local governance. We’re done with monied interests trying to sway town politics on the Cape and Islands. Voters deserve to know who is behind campaigns seeking to influence local policies that will impact those of us who live here year-round. Our robust laws on political spending have served the commonwealth’s representative democracy well for a half century — those should apply to lobbying at Town Meeting.”