VANCOUVER: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) released its recommendations today to the Local Government Elections Task Force rejecting the push for taxpayer handouts to local politicians while calling for more transparency and accountability through campaign finance reform, the return of the business vote, no change to the election cycle and the extension of recall legislation to municipal politicians.
"Under no circumstances should taxpayers be forced to fund local election campaigns," said Maureen Bader, B.C. Director of the CTF. "Handouts to candidates take scarce tax dollars away from programs that taxpayers value and could force taxpayers to fund candidates and propaganda they don't support.”
The CTF recommends full disclosure of all contributions greater than $300 be publicly declared five days prior to Election Day and that campaign finance contributions and expenditures remain unrestricted.
"Voters can decide whether a candidate shares their values if they know who financed the campaign before election time," said Bader. "Campaign finance limits hurt free speech and do nothing to stop the perceived, but non-existent, problem of election buying.”
Other CTF recommendations include the re-establishment of the business vote, maintaining the three year election cycle, and bringing recall legislation to the municipal level.
"Remember that local governments have no opposition party and are only held accountable to voters every three years," said Bader. "This accountability would be enhanced if citizens could recall politicians who don't follow through on their promises."
