Two Specific Concerns 26. While the specific details and components of reform proposals must be left to lay citizens and their elected representatives, we wish to address two specific aspects of reform. One of the most contentious issues discussed when campaign reform is debated is that of whether tax dollars should fund political campaigns. This raises important concerns as to whether it is right for the community to compel individual citizens to pay taxes that may help fund the campaigns of candidates whose values or character they find objectionable. We believe, on balance, that public financing can be an appropriate way to fund most election costs.
Government is the means by which society seeks to identify, achieve, and protect the common good.
As this is a concern for all people, it is appropriate that the cost of doing so be shared by all. The use of tax dollars to fund campaigns of qualified candidates without regard to their philosophy can effectively foster the common good by encouraging more people of diverse backgrounds to seek public office. To the extent that public financing makes candidates less dependent on the funds of special interest groups, the public debates over issues will be less subject to domination or distortion by special interests. We do not believe that the use of tax dollars to fund candidates puts the individual tax-payer in the position of providing material cooperation with immoral policies or practices embraced by a candidate who may receive such funds. So long as public financing of campaigns is structured in a way that affords equal treatment of candidates of differing philosophies and partisan affiliation, it would, in our view, pass the test of neutrality.