A city lawmaker is pushing to revamp the campaign-finance system after at least three council candidates who each got less than 10 percent of the ballot spent more per vote than did billionaire Mayor Bloomberg.
Republican Minority Leader James Oddo, of Staten Island, is introducing a bill later this month to double the threshold a council candidate has to meet in order to qualify for taxpayer-backed funds from the Campaign Finance Board.
Using public funds in 2009, three council candidates managed to outspend Bloomberg’s self-funded $184-per-vote outlay in 2009:
* Erlene King, who spent $214 per vote and got just over 4 percent.
* Debra Markell, who shelled out $210 per vote for 5.35 percent.
* Ruben Wills — the winner of a council race the following year — who spent $257 per vote and won only 9 percent.
“If you want to run and get your jollies running, fine. Why should I as a taxpayer have to underwrite your trip to Lala Land?” Oddo said.
Council hopefuls need 75 donations of at least $10 each from donors in their districts and a total of $5,000 citywide in order to qualify for matching donations, which can be as high as six times the original amount.
Oddo’s bill would double the figures needed to qualify for the public funds.
The CFB did not reject Oddo’s proposal.
“While the right number may be subject to discussion, increasing the requirements could compel more candidates to spend more time gathering support in their districts,” spokesman Eric Friedman said.
But Tyquana Henderson, who ran Wills’ successful campaign last year, said Oddo’s bill would disproportionately impact minority and low-income candidates.
“In black and brown communities that have a large underemployment and unemployment rate, people have less disposable income to contribute to political campaigns,” she said. “The only way to have a competitive race in these districts [is if] the CFB comes in to level the playing field if you’re not the incumbent or the insider.”
In those cases, she said, good candidates “wouldn’t get the opportunity to run and possibly serve.”