I'm writing to support the West Virginia Public Campaign Financing Act (SB240 and HB4050). This bill gives the people of West Virginia a chance to take our government back from the special interests now calling the shots.

Without tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, you simply can't run a viable campaign. Thus, most prospective candidates are either personally wealthy - in which case they hardly represent typical West Virginians - or they raise money from special interests. For the special interests, this money is an investment; it's likely to be handsomely repaid in the form of favorable legislation such as tax breaks or relaxed regulation. Such breaks come at the expense of the public.

In 2002, the coal industry donated $187,400 to Gov. Bob Wise's re-election campaign and over $223,000 to members of the Legislature. Wise pushed hard to raise the weight limits on coal trucks, and in 2003 the Legislature passed the bill, despite overwhelming public opposition.