'Party of No' defeats a noble effort

Campaign finance reform should be a nonpartisan or, at the very least, a bipartisan issue. Sadly, the Party of No in Milton Township doesn't agree.

On April 13, the annual Milton Township Meeting was held. Two hundred citizens attended, which more than doubled the attendance of 2009. On the agenda was an initiative to have a referendum placed on the November ballot. The nonbinding resolution asked, "Shall the Illinois General Assembly enact "Clean Elections" legislation, a system whereby candidates voluntarily agree to accept limits on campaign contributions and spending in return for public financing of campaigns for the General Assembly and statewide offices?"

There were 60 "aye" votes and 134 "no" votes, and the resolution failed. What really failed was an opportunity for the 75,000 registered voters in Milton Township to send a message to Springfield in November, either that they approve of the way they are being governed or disapprove and want a change.

At least 60 voters in Milton Township want to send people with the best ideas, rather than the most money, to Springfield. Even after hearing comments for and against the resolution, the party that is in the minority in Springfield and Washington, D.C. shouted "No" to government by the people on the most local level, probably for no other reason than they are still the majority party in Milton Township and wanted everyone in the room to know it.

Diane Niesman

Wheaton