Posted on 06/17/2002 10:00:23 PM PDT by chance33_98
State Overturns Elections Funding Source 06/17/2002
Associated Press Report
A state court has overturned the chief funding source of Arizona's public financing system for state election campaigns, ruling that a surcharge on traffic tickets and criminal fines is unconstitutional.
The unanimous ruling by a three-judge Court of Appeals panel overturned a decision by a trial court judge who had ruled that the surcharge was constitutional.
Judge Sheldon H. Weisberg wrote the surcharge "imposes an unconstitutional restraint on the exercise of free speech."
The surcharge provides approximately 60 percent of the Clean Election system's projected funding for this election cycle.
Arizona voters authorized creation of the Clean Elections system in 1998. The system was first used in 2000 by several dozen legislative and Corporation Commission candidates.
Nearly all candidates for statewide offices in state government, from governor on down, as well as numerous legislative candidates are running under the system this year.
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