Unfortunately, reforms in campaign fundraising come slowly, and in phases. So each positive step should be celebrated. There was one such small step this week.
One came from the State Assembly, where Speaker Mike Sheridan, D-Janesville, said majority Democrats plan to pass a rule that would ban lawmakers from raising campaign funds while the state budget is being debated.
The new rule, which Sheridan said will be introduced as a policy change motion at a session of the Assembly Organization Committee, will prohibit legislators from fund-raising efforts from the time the governor submits his budget proposal in February until after the budget has been adopted by the Legislature. While budgets take effect on July 1, they usually don't get passed in Madison until much later.
There are two reasons lawmakers should not be raising funds during budget negotiations. First, and simply, their focus should be on the budget during that period. Second, raising funds from groups whose special interests are impacted by budget decisions creates the perception - if not the reality - that policies and state funds can be bought and sold.
The Assembly Democrats' plan, however, is a step that falls short of full reform. First, the ban would be a rule and not a law. There would be no penalties for violations. Also, the ban would affect only the 99-member Assembly. There's been no indication yet whether a similar measure would be taken up in the Senate, also controlled by Democrats.
Finally, the rule only would apply to individual lawmakers. Committees organized to elect Republicans or Democrats to the Assembly still would be able to solicit campaign funds. And lawmakers' campaigns still would be able to accept unsolicited contributions - leaving a lot of room for interpretation of what's soliciting and what's not.
"It's a very small first step, but obviously much more is needed," said Jay Heck, director of Common Cause in Wisconsin.
Still, small steps are worth celebrating in the slow-moving world of campaign finance reform. Hopefully, there are bigger steps ahead.
One came from the State Assembly, where Speaker Mike Sheridan, D-Janesville, said majority Democrats plan to pass a rule that would ban lawmakers from raising campaign funds while the state budget is being debated.
The new rule, which Sheridan said will be introduced as a policy change motion at a session of the Assembly Organization Committee, will prohibit legislators from fund-raising efforts from the time the governor submits his budget proposal in February until after the budget has been adopted by the Legislature. While budgets take effect on July 1, they usually don't get passed in Madison until much later.
There are two reasons lawmakers should not be raising funds during budget negotiations. First, and simply, their focus should be on the budget during that period. Second, raising funds from groups whose special interests are impacted by budget decisions creates the perception - if not the reality - that policies and state funds can be bought and sold.
The Assembly Democrats' plan, however, is a step that falls short of full reform. First, the ban would be a rule and not a law. There would be no penalties for violations. Also, the ban would affect only the 99-member Assembly. There's been no indication yet whether a similar measure would be taken up in the Senate, also controlled by Democrats.
Finally, the rule only would apply to individual lawmakers. Committees organized to elect Republicans or Democrats to the Assembly still would be able to solicit campaign funds. And lawmakers' campaigns still would be able to accept unsolicited contributions - leaving a lot of room for interpretation of what's soliciting and what's not.
"It's a very small first step, but obviously much more is needed," said Jay Heck, director of Common Cause in Wisconsin.
Still, small steps are worth celebrating in the slow-moving world of campaign finance reform. Hopefully, there are bigger steps ahead.
