skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, March 29, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Report: Follow the Money--Cut Through Campaign Noise

play audio
Play

Monday, November 5, 2007   

Portland, OR – Tomorrow's statewide election includes only two ballot measures for Oregon voters to consider, but the measures are costing both their opponents and supporters big bucks. A new report from Democracy Reform Oregon shows campaigns for and against Measures 49 and 50 have total budgets of almost $22 million. Half of the money is from tobacco companies fighting Measure 50; and timber interests have put up 61 percent of the money for the "No on 49" effort. Report author Sarah Wetherson says knowing where the money comes from is helpful.

"It's another piece of information for voters, to kind-of cut through the noise of the campaign and get down to the facts about who's backing a ballot measure or who's fighting a ballot measure."

Wetherson says much of the money has been spent on a big radio and television advertising blitz leading up to election day, and knowing who pays for those ads is important piece of the puzzle.

"Seeing who's financing the campaigns can give voters another piece of information that maybe they're just not going to hear from the advertising they're seeing on T.V."

To put this year's campaign finances in perspective, Wetherson adds the amount raised in the tug-of-wars for the two 2007 ballot measures totals nearly $4 million more than what was spent on campaigns for all ten of the measures on last year's ballot. The full report can be found online, at www.democracyreform.org.




get more stories like this via email

more stories
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week about the popular abortion pill Mifepristone and will weigh in on whether the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was correct in how it can be dosed and prescribed. (Ascannio/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Missouri residents are worried about future access to birth control. The latest survey from The Right Time, an initiative based in Missouri…


Social Issues

play sound

Wisconsin children from low-income families are now on track to get nutritious foods over the summer. Federal officials have approved the Badger …

Social Issues

play sound

Almost 2,900 people are unsheltered on any given night in the Beehive State. Gov. Spencer Cox is celebrating signing nine bills he says are geared …


The U.S. teaching workforce remains primarily white while the percentage of Black teachers has declined. However, the percentage of Asian and Latinx teachers is rising.(WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobestock)

Social Issues

play sound

Education advocates are calling on lawmakers to increase funding for programs to combat the teacher shortage. Around 37% of schools nationwide …

Environment

play sound

New York's Legislature is considering a bill to get clean-energy projects connected to the grid faster. It's called the RAPID Act, for "Renewable …

Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021