Bill would halt state-funded TV ads for lawmakers
HARRISBURG – In an effort to level the playing field in elections, state representatives would be prohibited from using legislative accounts to pay for television ads, outside telemarketing firms and bulk e-mails, if a lawmaker gets his way. Rep. Greg Vitali wants to change House rules and ban public serve announcements that are paid for with tax dollars. The Delaware County Democrat said he will propose the change this week after the Legislature is sworn in to begin their new session. The rule change will help candidates who challenge incumbents, he said.
While public service announcements are intended to be used as constituent outreach efforts, Vitali said, the problem is many are used as quasi-campaign ads.
“Many of the public service announcements, for instance, focus on a worthy state program like the Do-Not-Call list, Healthy Horizons for seniors, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program,” Vitali said in a news release. “But their timing and the members that use them reveal their true purpose.
“These are little more than an attempt – using state tax dollars – to build name recognition for vulnerable incumbents in an election year,” he said.
During the summer months preceding the November general election, nearly 70 House Republicans and Democrats spent a combined $1.7 million in public money from legislative accounts to purchase commercial airtime to broadcast so-called public service announcements on local television stations and cable systems, according to Vitali’s analysis. Still more legislative money was spent hiring outside telemarketing firms to promote district offices and sending bulk e-mails.
“There is abuse which needs to be addressed,” said Barry Kauffman, executive director of Common Cause, a government watchdog group. “These ads generally appear around election time. They generally profile a politician. They almost always appear in an area where an incumbent is in a competitive race.”
Some House members defend use of the ads, saying they do in fact benefit the public.
“Public service announcements are an important constituent service tool available to members,” said Barbara Grill, spokeswoman for House Minority Leader H. William DeWeese, D-Waynesburg. “[DeWeese] wouldn’t want to see them taken away from members. There are some instances where that’s the only way members are able to reach their constituents. It’s another medium to get the message out to people.”
Others support Vitali’s proposed ban.
“I would support that,” said Rep. Larry Roberts, D-Uniontown. “I didn’t know we were doing that and I don’t think its appropriate to use legislative accounts for campaign materials.”
Rep. Paul Shaner, D-Dunbar, said, “I have to review the legislation, but I support what they’re saying.”
Vitali said banning legislators from using tax dollars to purchase public service announcements would help level the playing field in elections.
“Beyond the fact that these campaign activities are an inappropriate use of tax money, they also severely erode competition in Pennsylvania’s state House elections,” he said. “Candidates who challenge these incumbents cannot compete with the inundation of television ads, e-mails and phone solicitations. Worse yet, many potential candidates choose not to run because they know they are starting at a tremendous disadvantage.”