Ex-officials call for campaign finance reforms

CLEARWATER -- Fed up with money dominating Florida politics, former state Attorney General Bob Butterworth and former Comptroller Bob Milligan are considering leading a citizens' initiative to change campaign finance laws.

They are talking about a constitutional amendment to force greater disclosure for independent groups that pump money into Florida campaigns. They might also target "soft money" contributions that Butterworth said are laundered through state parties.

"People have absolutely lost respect for the entire system because of the issue of money," Butterworth told the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club, which on Tuesday gave him its Benjamin Franklin leadership award. "We're finding the business community is very much with us on this issue."

Milligan, a Republican, said in a phone interview that he and Butterworth feel strongly about the need for reform but expect a tough fight from politicians who have come to rely on the current system.

"It would be like pulling eye teeth," Milligan said. "When you're an incumbent you tend to want to protect your 6 o'clock." Their discussions have been general and preliminary. But Butterworth and Milligan mentioned independent groups that launch political attacks with little disclosure and a loophole that allows state parties to take huge donations and run "three-pack" TV ads focusing on one candidate, while giving token mentions to two others.

"It's become money, money, money, money. That is it -- period. Five hundred dollars? Forget it. Nobody wants $500 anymore because they launder money through these three-packs, outside entities, not-for-profits. They launder $500,000 through, and nobody will ever know. It's got to be stopped," Butterworth said.

Florida's popular attorney general for 16 years, Butterworth is now a senior judge in Broward County after running unsuccessfully for state Senate.

While mentioning his own hopes for a constitutional amendment, Butterworth suggested the system for ballot initiatives should be changed. He'd prefer to see citizen initiatives enact state statutes, not constitutional amendments. The increase in such initiatives reflects frustration with the Legislature, especially on education.

"Florida has been doing education on the cheap, and parents were sick and tired of it," he said.

The amendment mandating reduced class sizes, which has cash-strapped state leaders in a bind, could be massaged, Butterworth suggested. State leaders should get education experts to determine ideal class sizes and then work toward those targets. The state Supreme Court might uphold that approach, he said.

Or, Butterworth said, state leaders could determine optimal class sizes and put those on the ballot as an alternative to the more sweeping initiative that passed last year.

Lawmakers should forget another expensive constitutional amendment mandating high-speed rail, Butterworth said. It's not affordable, he said, and so poorly worded that it can be virtually ignored.

"Send some Florida Department of Transportation employees to some place in the state, turn a shovel full of dirt and have them come back next year," he said. "I don't think the Florida Supreme Court is going to mandate high speed rail."

Butterworth also praised Attorney General Charlie Crist, his Republican successor, saying he knows the office well and is making only gradual personnel changes. "I believe he's on the right track, and doing a good job."

-- Adam C. Smith can be reached at (727) 893-8241 or adam@sptimes.com .

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