Recently, someone explained to me what a “clean election” means. I think you will be as surprised as I was.

“Clean election” means, for example, that candidates running for a Senate office will receive $18,305 of taxpayers’ money for their campaign. A small portion of this money comes from the check-off from on our tax returns for the “election fund.” Most of the money, however, comes from the General Fund, which is funded involuntarily by taxpayers.

Just when you thought that was all, it gets worse. A “clean election” Senate candidate could get up to an additional $36,610 of taxpayer money if his opponent raises a particular amount of money from donations instead of taking the “free” clean election taxpayer money.

Did we understand what the “clean election” was when we voted for it? I am ashamed to say I did not. I didn’t realize that it was going to be a free ride for political candidates using my taxpayer money. Ask the next politician you see running a “clean election” how much money he or she received from the mysterious “clean election fund.”

LoLisa Bonney, Canton

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