To the Editor,
The large and well-funded political action committee (PAC) that has come to our small town is very concerning. I fear the destructive effects this will have on future elections. If PACs become the norm, the result will be many PACSs for competing interests with constant attacks on the opponent of those the PAC supports. Already two PACs have emerged attacking one candidate on a small scale, which his caught his opponent him by surprise. In a news story, the latter asked that all PACs “knock it off.”
PACs are rightly criticized for dirty and negative campaigning through advertisements and fliers attacking the opposition and influencing election results. Also, the candidate PACs endorse are beholden to its interests. Voters can only give $1,000 per candidate, while PACs receive any amount of money from individuals or entities.
The Neighbors of Palm Beach PAC has raised a staggering $264,000 to attack one candidate, who is raising his own money. If this continues, how can anyone run in the future without a substantially funded PAC? This will have a disastrous effect on our non-partisan grassroots elections. Residents supporting both candidates expressed their anger to me towards this new PAC and its campaign tactics.
The Neighbors of Palm Beach PAC talks of educating residents, choosing candidates and funding them. Palm Beach voters are intelligent. The information required to make an informed decision is amply provided by two scheduled candidate debates, meet-and-greets each candidate holds townwide, and the advertisements in the paper and mailers giving each candidate’s position on the issues.
Candidates must stop the PACs that support them or we risk being overrun by PACs. Do we want to suffer the viciousness seen in Congressional and state races? The anger fueled by those races incite hostility and division amongst voters.
I’ve been told it was inevitable legal PACS would come to Palm Beach. I strongly disagree. We are a unique community with a grass roots approach to elections. Now is the time to protect the town we love, our residents and our elections from being controlled by PACs. Let’s end them before it is too late.
Julie Araskog, Palm Beach
Araskog is a member of the Town Council
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Letter: Now is the time to protect the town from PACs
Reporting by Palm Beach Daily News / Palm Beach Daily News
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