Featured Letter to the Editor

San Rafael's Dan Farthing in the Marin Independent Journal:

Prop. 89 will clean up politics

The IJ's "Fill-up of the future" article (Aug. 25) was encouraging indeed; imagine what biodiesel could do if it were available cheaply and used throughout Marin and elsewhere. Less foreign oil, clean air, invigorated regional agriculture.

But with special interest groups and their lobbyists controlling Sacramento, biodiesel and similar issues aren't likely to get much support without the passage of Proposition 89 on Nov. 7.

Proposition 89 would provide optional public financing of campaigns for any legislative candidate, who then, if elected, would not be under the influence of campaign contributors. Legislators could then vote according to their own consciences for such worthwhile projects as biodiesel, other alternative fuels, and universal health care.

This "clean money" system works in Arizona, where the governor and most other statewide elected officials were elected with clean money under a similar law.

Let's vote "yes" on Proposition 89 for good government, with legislators accountable only to the voters.

On issue after issue, it is the big money special interests blocking reform. Ending the auction in Sacramento is the first step towards sound policy for California.