• Home
  • News
    • Politics / Govt
    • Legislature
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
    • Archives
  • Sports
    • Badgers
    • Packers
      • Titletown Report
    • Brewers
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support

Wisconsin Radio Network

Wisconsin News and Sports

You are here: Home / Politics / Govt / Making lobbyists pay for campaigns

Making lobbyists pay for campaigns

December 3, 2007 By WRN Contributor

A state lawmaker wants lobbyists to pay for political campaigns for state office.

The money spent to lobby legislative issues at the Capitol would be subject to a 10 percent tax, under legislation from State Representative Jeff Smith (D-Eau Claire). The cash would then be used to publicly finance campaigns.

Smith says figures based on what's being spent at the Capitol right now show the tax would fully fund two candidates in every legislative race, with up $60,000 for Assembly candidates and $125,000 for Senate candidates.

The tax would only be applied to non-charitable lobbying groups. Smith says many of those organizations are already spending big money on issue ads at campaign time. He says the money could be pooled and used to run cleaner campaigns.

Smith's proposal is one of several public financing ideas being offered at the Capitol this session. But he says many of those fall short of actually changing the system because they don't provide a clear funding source.

The bill is currently being circulated for co-sponsors in the Legislature. 

AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (MP3 1:06)

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Politics / Govt



Featured Stories

UW Madison based Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center receives funding renewal

Secretary of State La Follette resigns from office, Godlewski named as replacement

Republican proposal to alter 1849 abortion statute won’t advance in Senate

Protasiewicz and Kelly advance in Wisconsin Supreme Court primary

Tuesday is primary Election Day in Wisconsin

TwitterFacebook

Sports Headlines

Evers’ AmFam funding plan ‘a nonstarter’ with Assembly Republicans

New pitch clock could speed up MLB games this season, says UW expert

Giannis breaks franchise scoring record, Bucks beat Nets in OT

Wisconsin’s Davis declares for NBA Draft

Badgers to face Arizona State in Las Vegas Bowl

More Sports

Tweets by @WRN

Get our news delivered to your inbox:

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Copyright © 2023 · Learfield News & Ag, LLC