The Raleigh City Council's support of a resolution to give North Carolina's cities the option of funding local campaigns with public money represents a wise stance. A bill has passed the state House, and is awaiting action in the Senate, that would allow cities and towns to use taxpayer money to fund campaigns. The option has been used in judicial races and for some statewide offices. It's one way to calm the voice of special interest groups and add volume to that of the public.
Bob Phillips, executive director of Common Cause NC, supports the idea as a way to get more people interested in elections. They'll participate, the argument goes, because they feel they have a real stake and that elections are not the property of special interest contributors. Chapel Hill was permitted to make public financing available in its municipal elections last fall. Two candidates used it, successfully.
The Raleigh council's position is admirable in that incumbents, who would stand to benefit by protecting the status quo, dominate the group, including Mayor Charles Meeker. A bit of an oddity is the stance of council member John Odom, a veteran who once ran for state insurance commissioner and used the public finance option. But Odom was the lone council member to vote against a resolution supporting the bill in the Senate. He said there weren't enough details to satisfy him.
