Today's Arguments Over City Campaign Finance Rules

That’s what it looked like when the executive director of the city Campaign Finance Board testified to the City Council about the proposed changes that would boost matching funds, increase reporting requirements and restrict who can give to city candidates.

Inez Dickens asked if any of the people from the CFB had run for office, been a campaign treasurer, or had raised funds for one. No, they all said, giving Dickens the “you’ve never walked in our shoes” kind of leverage.

But the mayor, City Council Speaker, and a large number of Council members are already backing the proposed changes, making the browbeating during the hearing more of a way to vent than to derail the proposal.

And in case you’re wondering, Larry Seabrook, whose adventures with matching funds I’m a little obsessed with, did stop in to hear a few minutes of testimony.