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Connecticut rethinking proposed restriction on the use of public campaign grants to pay for child care

Hartford Courant - 3/21/2019

March 21-- Mar. 21--Connecticut is reconsidering a proposed restriction on the use of public campaign grants to pay for child care expenses, a test case that has drawn national spotlight.

The state Elections Enforcement Commission had been expected to rule Wednesday that participants in the state's popular public campaign financing program could not use those funds to pay for child care, but could use privately-raised political contributions for that purpose.

A vote on the declaratory ruling has been delayed until April 3 to give the commission more time to deliberate, however.

"Our testimony and public comments had such an impact on the commission, they need more time to deliberate! We are officially a FORCE!" tweeted Caitlin Clarkson Pereira, a Democrat who ran unsuccessfully for state representative in the 132nd House District in Fairfield in 2018.

Clarkson Pereira requested the ruling after a commission lawyer informally advised her she could not use public campaign funds to hire a babysitter for her daughter, Parker, who is now 4.

It's the part of a national debate whether child care expenses incurred by candidates can be paid for out of political coffers.

Massachusetts, West Virginia, Oakland, Calif., and Tucson, Ariz., ban the use of campaign grants for child care, while Maryland and Minnesota allow it.

In New York City, privately raised funds used toward qualifying for public campaign financing can be used for child care, but matching public grants cannot.

Clarkson Pereira received $28,150 from the voluntary Citizens' Election Program for her challenge to Republican state Rep. Brenda Kupchick. To qualify, she had to raise $5,100 from individual contributors in increments of no more than $250.

Neil Vigdor can be reached at nvigdor@courant.com

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