The moral case for reforms

Springfield has been mired in a political morass for years now, but the Illinois General Assembly could begin redeeming itself by passing a strong campaign finance reform bill this year. Unfortunately, legislators still don't seem to understand why it's so important.

Last spring, state lawmakers passed a bill that purported to limit campaign contributions from individuals, businesses, unions and state parties. The proposed limits, once scrutinized, added up to no limits at all. Gov. Pat Quinn rightly vetoed the non-reform bill, and legislators went back to the drawing board.

So now there's a new plan from House Speaker Michael Madigan. This one would actually set meaningful limits on donations: $5,000 for individuals, $10,000 for corporations and unions and $50,000 for political action committees. That's progress, even if radical democracy isn't likely to break out anytime soon in Illinois. Still, Springfield wouldn't be Springfield if there weren't an infuriating catch: The plan would impose no limits whatsoever on donations from state parties and legislative leaders. People such as Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton could donate to their hearts' content.

This loophole is a big deal. Indeed, it's a matter of moral credibility.

Public credibility is something our state's political class has long lacked. Three Illinois governors have been convicted on corruption charges since the 1970s, and one more is awaiting trial. About 1,000 officials and business people at the state and local level have also been criminally convicted. And the pay-to-play culture of Illinois politics is notorious worldwide.

Yet without moral credibility, public officials cannot meet our state's most pressing challenges. Consider: Illinois now faces sweeping problems that require more revenue, like meager public school funding and a frayed network of social services. Since our state budget is nearly cut to the bone, the only long-term solution to these problems must involve raising state income taxes. But Illinois residents don't trust our leaders and are therefore loathe to believe a tax hike is really necessary. And that in turn means politicians are terrified of implementing one.

Our state is in a vicious cycle. We don't trust the pols, so they refuse to make the tough choices necessary to solve our problems. Rinse and repeat.

This cycle has everything to do with campaign finance reform. The purpose of restricting donations is to make politicians more accountable to the public and less beholden to moneyed interests. So when voters see a proposal from legislative leaders to limit everyone's campaign contributions but their own - effectively increasing the leaders' power - we see the credibility gap expanding, not shrinking. Our skepticism of state government gets worse. And the state's broad set of problems becomes ever more intractable.

Of course, Illinois citizens have no illusions that campaign finance reform will be a cure-all. We don't expect utopia. But we do want our government to be more responsive to the people who need help and less responsive to the people who don't. That's it.

Gov. Quinn should insist on comprehensive campaign contribution limits and make clear that he will veto any legislation that does not set a reasonable limit on donations from state parties and legislative leaders. Such a limit is critical to restoring moral credibility to state government - and, ultimately, to meeting the needs of the people of Illinois.

• The Rev. Alexander Sharp is executive director of Protestants for the Common Good, a Chicago-based group with member churches throughout the suburbs.