Burbank Proposes Campaign Spending Limitations for the 36th District House Race; Carlyle Declines

Seattle, May 9, 2008

Last night, the 36th District Democrats held a debate between John Burbank and Reuven Carlyle, the two candidates running for the open State Representative seat.  In response to a question about the need for campaign financing reform and spending limitations, after both agreed to support public financing of campaigns, John Burbank proposed that both candidates voluntarily agree to a suggested campaign spending limit of $50,000 per candidate for the primary and $50,000 for the general election.  Any amount raised over these limits would be donated, half to local food banks and half to the 36th District Democrats to assist Democratic candidates in state wide races.  

As a result of the recent Supreme Court ruling overturning Washington State's primary system, two Democrats will be forced to compete against each other in November for this seat in the 36th District.  It is likely that without this voluntary spending limitation, Carlyle and Burbank will spend over half a million dollars to preserve a safe Democratic seat in Seattle.  His opponent, Reuven Carlyle, rejected this proposition out of hand, characterizing it as unworkable.

Burbank vowed to continue to press for campaign limitations in the 36th District House Race.  "The reason we never get genuine campaign reform is that politicians have a conflict of interest and the lure of money to win and buy elections always trumps the public interest," stated Burbank, a long time citizen reformer.