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For immediate release.
March 29, 2000
Contact: Chris Heagarty, N.C. Center for Voter Education,
(919) 839-1200

Gov. Hunt, Bill Moyers Advocate for Campaign Reform at Opening of Center

RALEIGH - Emmy award-winning journalist Bill Moyers and Governor Jim Hunt share a big concern -- that political candidates are increasingly forced to concentrate on fund-raising instead of the more important issues that concern voters. These two luminaries shared the podium at the recent official kickoff luncheon of the N.C. Center for Voter Education, a non-profit corporation created to improve the quality and responsiveness of North Carolina's election system.

Governor Hunt said, "The arms race for money that drives our campaigns threatens the concept of one person, one vote. Candidates for office are forced by the status quo to become full time fund raisers.

"That's not right," he continued, "And that's why I've come to the conclusion that it's time to have public financing of major campaigns."

Bill Moyers echoed the governor and elaborated on the danger of politicians' dependence upon such fundraising, noting the special treatment that many big money contributors -- whether they be corporations and labor unions -- receive.

"Here's what happens if you don't contribute or spend generously on lobbying: you pick up a higher share of America's tax bill, you pay a higher price for a broad range of products, from peanuts to prescription drugs, you pay the taxes that others in similar situations have been excused from, you are compelled by the laws that others are granted immunity from, and you must pay debts you incur, while others do not."

Moyers cited successful reform efforts in other states, including Arizona, Maine and Massachusetts, noting that Arizona was very conservative, Maine very independent, and Massachusetts very liberal. Despite these political differences, each limited spending and campaign contributions in exchange for public financing of elections.

The N.C. Center for Voter Education is chaired by former U.S. Senator Robert Morgan. "A chief concern of the Center," said Morgan," is voter participation. People no longer think their vote matters. Many of them believe that special interests and wealthy contributors, not voters, determine the outcome of elections." He pledged that the Center would examine several possible reforms for restoring people's faith in the system.

The luncheon was held in cooperation with the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, a Winston-Salem-based philanthropic organization and a major donor to the Center.

Other program participants were Charles Kolb, a former official in President Reagan and President Bush's administration and President of the national Committee for Economic Development; former N.C. Chief Justice James G. Exum, Jr.; State Representative Beverly Earle from Charlotte; Tom Lambeth, Executive Director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation; Barbara Campbell Davis from Rocky Mount, and Kinston businessman John McNairy of Harvey Enterprises.

For more information about the event or the N.C. Center for Voter Education, please contact Chris Heagarty in Raleigh at
(919) 839-1200.

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