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# Campaign finance reform essential for democracy
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/campaign-finance-reform-essential-for-democracy-editor/
- Published: 2006-10-31T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T21:54:18.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By Sue Miller Santa Monica*

The ugly attack of lies against Kevin McKeown — up for re-election to the City Council in Santa Monica — is being paid for by the owners of Shutters and Casa del Mar hotels. These large land owners and developers are determined to spend what it takes to defeat McKeown, a consistently independent and thoughtful voice on the council. In addition to being a disturbing intrusion into our local election by an outsider, this says something important about the state of electoral politics in our country.

Sizable campaign contributions to candidates of both parties have become a standard business investment with a low risk, high-reward payoff. Legislators return the favor by influencing legislation to suit the lobbyists and their corporate clients, making if virtually impossible to get real reform passed on issues critical to the citizens of this country or elect independent candidates such as Kevin McKeown.

To free ourselves from huge special interests, such as pharmaceuticals, oil companies, pesticide companies, power companies, insurance companies and the like, who end up control-ling public policy and our lives, we must institute campaign finance reform. We have an opportunity in California to join Arizona and Maine by passing Prop 89, the Clean Money initiative.

This provides candidates the voluntary option to run without special interest financing. In spite of the campaign rhetoric, Prop 89 will have no financial impact on individuals, cities, the state or small businesses, and is an essential step toward taking back our democracy.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 31, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/103106.pdf?ref=smdp.com)