Saying they need extra money to travel and keep in touch with constituents, state legislators aren’t giving up their efforts to be allowed to accept bigger contributions for officeholder accounts.

The move, which follows a gubernatorial veto of a bill passed by the Legislature, raises concern by some good-government activists about the influence of moneyed special interests.

“That’s what is important here,” said Ann Eschinger of the Arizona League of Women Voters.

The vetoed bill would have let legislators and other public officials have larger officeholder accounts and accept bigger contributions from lobbyists and others to fill those accounts.

In the wake of Governor Napolitano’s May 2 veto, legislators now have turned to the Citizens Clean Elections Commission, a state campaign finance panel whose rules permit and regulate the accounts.

Legislators can raise a total of up to $5,960 every two years through individual contributions up to $60. The bill vetoed by Ms. Napolitano would have allowed legislators to raise $15,136 every two years through contributions up to $296.

The commission originally adopted rules allowing the funds as a way to let legislators who accepted public funding for their campaigns to raise private dollars to defray non-election expenses. The rules also let privately funded candidates pay for non-election expenses without having the dollars trigger matching funds for publicly funded opponents.

Legislators said they want the commission to raise the current $60 contribution limit to $110 or $220.

Legislators, who are paid $24,000 a year and also receive daily meal and mileage money while in session, use the accounts to pay for a variety of non-campaign expenses. Those include mailing newsletters to constituents, buying office equipment, traveling to out-of-state conferences and subsidizing school children’s bus trips to the Capitol.

Ms. Napolitano said she rejected the bill partly because the higher limits might have distracted officials when they should be focused on making policy.

Rep. John McComish, R-20, said legislators get virtually no money from the state to attend conferences or for other expenses.

“I can’t afford to do these things. I don’t have the money,” Mr. McComish said. “I had to pay for the pencil sharpener that’s on my desk at the statehouse.”

The Costs Of Travel

Rep. Nancy McLain, R-3, said a higher contribution limit would make it easier to raise money for travel within her far-flung northwestern Arizona district.

Constituents in communities — her district extends from Page to Quartzsite — ask her to attend and participate in fund-raising events, Ms. McLain said. “They expect me to fully participate.”

While other ideas for suggested changes included providing legislators with money for non-campaign expenses included legislative appropriations, contributions from political parties and prohibiting contributions from lobbyists, several legislators urged the commission to just raise the contribution limit.

“We just want to keep it simple,” said Rep. Jerry Weiers, R-12, who says he needs his account’s money for travel within his district and to purchase tickets at fund-raising events he’s asked to attend.

Before the Citizens Clean Elections Commission voted to form a committee to study the proposals and make a recommendation, commission Chair Marcia Busching said she recognized that legislators aren’t paid enough. But she said that voters’ approval of the public campaign financing law in 1998 shows a concern about the influence of special interests.

“It’s a very difficult issue because to me the real issue is the salary of the Legislature,” she said. “Unfortunately the public doesn’t see fit to increase compensation to the Legislature and statewide officeholders.”

Ms. McLain later said she took offense at the notion that lobbyists dictate what she does as a lawmaker.

“I really resent (the suggestion) that my vote can be bought for $110 or even $220.” —

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