"Welfare for politicians?"

 The Maine Heritage Policy Center released the 2009 Maine Piglet Book today to shine a light on state spending.
 
 Under the heading “welfare for politicians” the group identifies $17 million spent on the Maine Clean Election Act program over the last five election cycles. The program, which was brought forward by citizen initiative and approved by voters in 1996, provides money to candidates for governor and the state Legislature.

 Tarren Bragdon, who leads the center, said if it were up to them, they’d get rid of the program all together.

 “We don’t think it’s a priority,” he said, adding that people should be able to raise their own money to pay for their campaigns.

 So far, 21 people have signed up to run for governor in 2010, with seven of them indicating they plan to use money from the state Clean Election program. Some of them probably won’t qualify, because candidates do have to collect seed money in order to show they are serious contenders.

 The two most notable people who have signed up for the program -- Senate President Elizabeth Mitchell, D-Vassalboro and Sen. Peter Mills, R-Cornville -- have both said they couldn’t afford to run for governor without it.

 Clean Election supporters say the program is designed to keep special interest money out of campaigns, or at least reduce its influence. It’s also supposed to help a broader array of people run for office, even if they don’t have much money.

 As the state continues to look for ways to save money, is this an area you’d consider cutting?