State Rep. John Robinson, R-Raymond, has presented a bill to the Legislature’s Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee that would make significant changes to Maine’s Clean Election Act that he said would provide more transparency within all candidate fund-raising systems.

Robinson was prompted to submit legislation after witnessing a number of Clean Election candidates in prior election cycles who established leadership Political Action Committees (PACs) in order to raise and spend thousands of dollars on other legislative races.

“The intent of the Maine Clean Election Act was to allow people to run for office at the state level who would not have the ability to raise the money necessary to run a campaign,” Rep. Robinson said. “They could qualify for public funding for their race and would not be allowed to accept private contributions for their campaign.

“However, those same individuals can open a PAC and raise tens of thousands of dollars,” he added. “It seems only fair to me and in keeping with the spirit of the Clean Election Act that a candidate who has the willingness and ability to raise private money should repay the Clean Election Fund the amount of taxpayer dollars they received.”

Under the guidelines of LD 396, An Act to Provide Additional Funding for the Maine Clean Election Act, a participating Clean Election candidate who is a principal officer, fundraiser or decision maker in a PAC that makes independent expenditures in support of candidates must disclose that participation to the Ethics Commission. The PAC must also make a payment to the Maine Clean Election Fund in the amount equal to what the candidate received in qualified funding.

The following is an example of how the bill would work if enacted. If House of Representatives candidate John Doe qualifies as a Clean Election candidate, he receives about $4,500 from the state. If he then starts a PAC and raises $20,000, he would be required to repay the state the first $4,500 but he would still be allowed to spend the remaining $15,500 as he would under current law.

“Why should Maine taxpayers subsidize a candidate, not of their choosing, who can and does raise money on his own to dole out to other candidates or spend on their behalf?” Rep. Robinson asked.

Rep. Robinson’s House District 103 includes Frye Island, Raymond, and parts of Poland and Standish.