CHANGE Illinois! Says Campaign Contribution Limits Must Be Applied Fairly and Across-the-Board

CHANGE Illinois! Says Campaign Contribution Limits Must Be Applied Fairly and
Across-the-Board

Call The CHANGE Illinois! Hotline (1-800-719-3020) To Tell Your Legislators

CHICAGO, Oct. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A coalition of campaign reform
advocates on Thursday reported some progress in negotiations on campaign
finance reform legislation, but the unresolved issue of limiting contributions
by legislative leaders and political parties has prevented a final agreement.

"When Gov. Quinn vetoed the flawed limits legislation at the end of August,
the legislative leaders and the governor said they would work with us on an
improved limits bill that could be passed in the fall veto session, and we
have participated in several negotiating meetings and side discussions," said
George Ranney, co-chair of CHANGE Illinois! and President and CEO of Chicago
Metropolis 2020. "That veto session begins next week, and we still don't have
an agreement. We're running out of time."

Leaders of the CHANGE Illinois! coalition said the negotiators appear to have
tentative agreements on ways to limit contributions by individuals, political
action committees, candidate committees, corporations, labor unions, and
associations, but they have not been able to agree on the central issue of
limitations on the campaign funds controlled by legislative leaders and the
political parties.

"There has been a good exchange of information and ideas with legislative
leaders and the governor, and we seem to have agreements on several issues,"
said Peter Bensinger, a CHANGE Illinois! co-chair and a former Administrator
of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. "But we will not be part of any
agreement which limits contributions from everyone except legislative leaders
and political parties."

Created earlier this year, CHANGE Illinois! is a coalition of civic, business,
labor, professional, non-profit and philanthropic organizations, which
represent more than 2 million members in Illinois. CHANGE Illinois! advocates
an end to this state's unregulated campaign finance system and for the
creation of a system of campaign contribution limits, like those in use at the
federal level and in virtually every other state in the nation.

For a copy of the full press release and supporting documents, please visit
the CHANGE Illinois! website at http://www.changeil.org.

Contact: Jim Bray
217-793-8416

SOURCE CHANGE Illinois!

Jim Bray of CHANGE Illinois!, +1-217-793-8416