HEARING ATTRACTS ONLY 14; MISSOURIANS FOR FAIR ELECTIONS HOST

About 14 people attended a meeting of concerned citizens Tuesday, who pooled their ideas to try and find possible solutions for reform of contributions to campaign funds.

"I'm really disappointed that so few people turned out for this tonight," said Fred Horrell, a spokesman for United We Stand, a political organization which formed in the wake of Ross Perot's presidential campaign last year. "I expected to see about 200 people in the audience, ready to talk about campaign contributions.

"This might be why we suffer through some of the legislation which is passed in Jefferson City or Washington D.C.," he continued. "Because no one want to get out of their cushy chairs at home and come and be a part of the political process."

The hearing was convened by Missourians for Fair Elections, an organization formed recently to promote an initiative petition to put limits on contributions to political candidates on a statewide ballot next year.

Tuesday's meeting in the Program Lounge of the Southeast Missouri State University Center was one in a series of nine such meetings taking place across the state. Secretary of State Roy Blunt and former State Treasurer James Spainhower are heading the committee. Neither attended Tuesday's meeting.

A final proposal will be drafted based on testimony gathered from the public hearings.

"We have gathered to let the public voice their opinions on campaign finance reform," said Mary Martin, a coordinator for United We Stand. "We're working to limit campaign contributions not spending and eliminate the loopholes in the laws the politicians currently take advantage of."

Dave Schaefer, a spokesman for United We Stand, took notes at Tuesday's meeting to submit to Jefferson City for consideration. From all suggestions submitted, the committee in Jefferson City will word an initiative on a petition which must be signed by at least 80,000 registered voters throughout the state.

If the quota is met, the initiative will then be placed on the November, 1994 ballot and submitted to voters statewide.

There were many questions Tuesday about public financing of campaigns. Only one member of the group was in favor of such a move.

"We're being taxed enough already," one woman said. "I don't want to pay taxes to have people elected who don't serve my interests."

Horrell echoed her concern: "There was a time when there were patriotic reasons behind a man going to the legislature or to serve in Congress," he said. "I see nothing wrong with people contributing to a candidate they believe in, but I do have a problem with politicians' allowing themselves to be bought by Political Action Committees, special interest groups, labor unions or corporations."

Most felt that there should be a ceiling on political campaigns, dependent upon the office in question.

"It would take a lot more money to run for governor than it would to run for state representative," another woman said. "But I don't know how you'd determine how much it would take. All I know is that they're spending way too much right now."

Martin said that her husband had suggested that politicians should only be allowed to accept contributions from registered voters within their district.

"I don't see how any of this could be enforced," said another woman.

"That's why we're having this meeting," Horrell said. "The people at the head of this movement need our suggestions."

The group agreed that PACs need to be controlled or regulated, special interest groups need to be eradicated and that there are definite problems in the way campaign financing is currently being handled.

"We need to have our representatives in the legislature truly represent the interests of the people in their district and the people in the state," Martin said. "We need to return control to the voters."