Overlooking party lines, state Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, and state Rep. Steve Wieckert, R-Appleton, announced a bipartisan campaign finance reform bill in the Assembly parlor Thursday.
Under the proposal, an individual would be allowed tax deductions up to a $100 a year for contributions made to a political candidate.
Wieckert said this bill is a step toward restoring the importance of voters in the election process while making strides to lower the influence of special-interest groups.
'What makes this legislation unique is that Senator Risser and I believe we have a great deal of bipartisan support in both houses for this initiative,' Wieckert said in a statement. 'While most legislators agree that we need campaign finance reform, few can agree on what the solution should look like. This bill is different, it has consensus, it's a great place to start.'
However, UW-Madison political science professor David Canon said this bill may present fiscal implications.
'The fact that you lose tax dollars by having a tax credit like that makes the budget situation more difficult,' Canon said. 'You're going to have to cut spending somewhere else or raise taxes to pay for it.'
