Dollops of Dough From PACs, but What About Public Service?
Your series on “PAC Power†at the local county level was powerful and showed reasons for concern about the proliferation of such major contributors to the cost of political life.
At the very least, the growth of PAC money raises the appearance of bought votes and, by expanding the coffers of officeholders, contributes to the pattern of incumbency as an “appointment for life.†The uncontrolled PAC system has fed itself and made such contributions a “cost of doing business.â€
As an Orange County employee, I find the need for PAC contributions both distasteful and destructive. I also found the implication that county employees’ salaries result from political contributions offensive. Average increases since 1986 have resulted in a net loss of nearly 2.5% when compared with the growth in the consumer price index. Orange County can boast of the most productive work force among the major counties of the state, as reflected by the ratio of employees to population.
STALKY LEHMAN, Orange
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