Committee formed to examine feasibility of taxpayer-funded campaigns in Lawrence
By: Lea Kahn
The fledgling Clean Elections Committee, which held its initial meeting last week, already has homework for its members come up with five or six issues they want to discuss at the next meeting on June 13.
The committee was created by Township Council to study the feasibility of establishing a "clean municipal elections" ordinance. If approved, the ordinance would provide for Township Council elections to be funded by taxpayer dollars and not privately raised campaign contributions.
The nine-committee members introduced themselves to each other at the May 9 meeting before settling down to work. The group agreed to meet once a month and decided it would not seek to place a public referendum on a proposed "clean elections" ordinance on the Nov. 6 general election ballot.
The committee agreed with member Doris Weisberg that it most likely could not study the issue in time to put the question on the Nov. 6 ballot. The committee agreed informally to put the question on the November 2008 general election ballot.
Committee member Nick Mellis said the group should decide by December whether it supports the "clean elections" concept. If the committee supports it and voters approve the public question on the November 2008 ballot, the measure would affect the Township Council’s 2009 race.
Mr. Mellis opposed providing taxpayer dollars to fund the Democratic and Republican political parties’ June primary elections because they are "closed" elections. They are open only to the registered voters of the two political parties.
"I can’t participate in the primary because I am not a registered Democrat or Republican. It’s an internal election," said Mr. Mellis, who is a member of the Green Party.
Ms. Weisberg said primary election debates "are almost a thing of the past." No one holds primaries at the municipal level because "it eats up the money," she added.
The nine-member Clean Elections Committee was appointed by Township Council April 5. It includes four registered Democrats, two registered Republicans, a registered Green Party member and two voters who have not declared a political party.
The Democrats include Justin Massimo, Nat Moorman, Eric Rau and Ms. Weisberg. Mr. Massimo replaced Jim Kownacki, who resigned because he is running for Township Council in the Nov. 6 election. Ms. Weisberg is a former Township Council member and mayor who also is representing the Lawrence chapter of the League of Women Voters.
The two Republicans are Jim Cleak and George Ford. Mr. Ford was asked to serve on the committee by the Metuchen-based Citizens Campaign and Common Cause, which are interested in the issue.
Mr. Mellis represents the Green Party. Linda Dlabik and Michael O’Neil are unaffiliated voters.