Harken back to the Philadelphia Clean Elections pledge when we teamed up with individuals and organizations who wanted to put candidates in the city on record in support of a full public financing option for campaigns. It would seem the idea has reached the statehouse, where State Rep. Greg Vitali is proposing a public financing option for gubernatorial candidates as a way to "ensure the integrity of the system" and encourage a voluntary system to limit campaign spending.

Pennsylvania's Citizens Voice notes that June is a month fraught with conflict for state lawmakers who must vote on a series of controversial issues even as they enter a heavy fundraising period where interested parties will be laying down thousand-dollar checks to bend lawmakers ears on their issue of choice.

In a huge outpouring of support for Clean Elections-style full public financing of elections in Philadelphia, four mayoral candidates and 25 city council candidates have signed a pledge, endorsed by five groups including Public Campaign Action Fund, to create a comprehensive public financing system for city elections.

Last week saw a flurry of campaign finance activity on the Philadelphia City Council surrounding a proposal by Councilor Jim Kenney to do away with campaign contribution limits. Kenney eventually pulled this proposal and others from consideration, a move the Philadelphia Inquirer praises while recommending that Kenney's proposal for public financing for municipal elections be given consideration in due time.

Philadelphia’s City Council's Law and Government Committee was scheduled to consider a proposal by City Councilor Jim Kenney to change or eliminate the the city's contribution limits for municipal elections in the middle of an election cycle; a move prompted by a wealthy mayoral candidate self-financing his campaign. However, due to public pressure Councilor Kenney pulled his bills before it could be considered. Below is the testimony Public Campaign Action Fund's National Campaigns Director David Donnelly was to submit to the committee for the hearing on the dangers of abolishing or increasing the contribution limits.

Public Campaign Action Fund's Campaign Money Watch project has launched a new ad in Pennsylvania taking on Rep. Don Sherwood for taking $205K in campaign contributions from insurance and drug companies and - surprise! - voting to help them rake in the cash at the expense of senior citizens.