When ‘no' means ‘yes'

Candidate survey leads to confusion

October 29, 2006

By Michael Rovito/Frontiersman

MAT-SU - Two Republican incumbents said a recent survey question about campaign finance reform by the Alaska Public Interest Research Group was unclear, which caused them to give a wrong answer.

Rep. Vic Kohring, R-Wasilla, and Rep. Mark Neuman, R-Big Lake, both said the answer they gave to one question erroneously indicated they would not oppose attempts to weaken the reforms that were a part of Ballot Measure 1, approved by a wide margin in August's primary.

Candidates were asked: &#8220If elected, will you oppose any efforts to weaken the campaign finance, lobbying and legislative disclosure reforms contained in Ballot Measure One?”

Kohring and Neuman were the only members of the Mat-Su legislative delegation to answer &#8220no.” Sen. Charlie Huggins, R-Mat-Su, and Rep. Bill Stoltze, R-Chugiak/Mat-Su, did not respond to the AkPIRG survey.

Voter approval of the initiative tightened the lobbying rules and campaign donation limits that legislators must follow. It was placed on the ballot in an effort to curtail the influence of special interest groups and give regular citizens more of a chance to have a voice in politics, according to AkPIRG.

Campaign contributions to state legislators have become the subject of media scrutiny after FBI raids told of an investigation into the oil field services company VECO and an alleged vote-buying conspiracy with state legislators.

For Neuman, who said the question was confusing to him, the current legislation regarding campaign finance is full of holes. One of those holes, according to Neuman, is the stipulation that candidates who spend less than $5,000 on their campaigns are not required to report where their money comes from and how they spend it.

&#8220If you want to run for political office and you want to raise money, you should report where your money comes from and how you spend it,” Neuman said.

The Big Lake resident has, in the past, had his own donations from VECO exploited by his opponent, independent candidate Myrl Thompson, in campaign literature passed around the Valley.

Thompson, like the rest of the Valley candidates, said he would oppose efforts to weaken campaign finance laws. He said Neuman's stance on full disclosure is something he agrees with, but the fact that it comes from the one-term legislator is &#8220just more of the same.”

&#8220The rich pounding on the little guy, for sure,” said Thompson, who does not accept

special-interest group contributions to his campaign and, consequently, has a much smaller campaign war chest. &#8220He's certainly the minority there.”

Thompson said the question was not confusing to him, and he always makes sure he knows what he is getting into.

&#8220I don't sign my name to anything I don't understand,” he said.

Kohring, the six-term District 14 representative being challenged by Democrat Katie Hurley, said he meant to check yes on the survey.

&#8220That was an error on my part,” Kohring said. &#8220The question was not clearly worded.”

He also said he thinks the current campaign finance law advocates a &#8220good thing.”

Back in Big Lake, independent candidate Jay Cross, who is taking on incumbent Sen. Charlie Huggins, R-Mat-Su, said the campaign finance question wasn't confusing to him.

&#8220Damn right, that's a yes,” Cross said about opposing efforts to weaken the disclosure reforms. &#8220What's confusing about that?”

Huggins, who didn't respond to the survey, gave his answer in a phone interview Saturday. He said he is for tightening the campaign disclosure law, calling for full transparency among all legislators and the reporting of donors, no matter how small their donation.

&#8220We have to restore the confidence of Alaskans and the whole business of legislators and where they get their money,” Huggins said.

Candidates up for a seat in the Alaska Senate and the House representing all parts of the Mat-Su Borough will take part in a candidate forum at Mat-Su College Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.

Contact Michael Rovito at

352-2252 or michael.rovito@ frontiersman.com.