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City Club of Portland to Hold Forum to Discuss VoterOwned Elections



At its weekly Friday Forum on June 23, 2006, City Club of Portland welcomes Portland City Commissioner Erik Sten and Portland Business Alliance President Sandra McDonough to discuss 's8220;Voter-Owned Elections: What Worked, What Didn's8217;t and What Do We Really Want's8221; under the moderation of Susan Hammer.



With what some have called the 's8220;dress rehearsal's8221; now behind us, how did the debut of Portland's8217;s taxpayer-funded 's8220;clean money's8221; elections perform in the May primary Has the new system kept a lid on campaign spending Has it drawn more diverse candidates



Supporters say the system worked: overall spending went down and the city handled initial problems appropriately, such as candidate Emilie Boyles's8217; mishandling of funds and the city's8217;s subsequent request for their return. They say the system will provide greater opportunity for citizens to be involved in public life by leveling the campaign playing field.



But critics are pressing City Council to refer the measure to voters as early this November, four years earlier than originally scheduled, claiming, among other concerns, thatthe system favors incumbents and that loopholes regarding 's8220;independent expenditure's8221; campaign committees can be unfair to candidates who are privately funded. But more importantly, they argue, is this an appropriate expenditure of city funds at a time when the city is struggling to provide basic city services and support our schools



And there are operational issues in play, too. When collecting signatures to qualify for public financing, should the system require that signers be adults U.S. citizens registered voters residents of Portland How should the required $5 contribution be documented Is the system too difficult for inexperienced candidates to navigate



City Club'ss Friday Forum, which is open to the public, will be held at the Governor Hotel (614 SW 11th Ave.). Doors open at 11:30 a.m.; the program begins at 12:15 p.m. and concludes at 1:15 p.m. Luncheon tickets are $20 ($16 for members of City Club) and must be reserved by 2 p.m., Wednesday, June 21, 2006 online at www.pdxcityclub.org or by calling 503-228-7231, ext. 103. Coffee/tea table tickets ($5) and general seating ($5; free for City Club members) will be available at the door on a first-come, first-served basis.



A NOTE TO MEDIA

Media are encouraged to attend and are invited to sit in general seating. Please sign in at the registration table on the day of the forum. For broadcast media, an audio press patch will be available, and a riser for videotaping can be provided with advance notice. Contact Tim Krause at 503-228-7231, ext. 102.



ABOUT CITY CLUB OF PORTLAND

City Club of Portland is a nonprofit, nonpartisan civic affairs organization that promotes civic engagement and active citizenship to build a stronger community. Through unbiased research and compelling programs, City Club connects citizens with ideas and issues that affect our community. City Club is open to everyone who wants to interact with other citizens and shape the future of our city and state, providing a neutral forum for many diverse voices. For more information about City Club of Portland, visit www.pdxcityclub.org or call 503-228-7231.






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