Our firm helps organizations, municipalities, and states design campaign finance reforms that make participation practical and rules enforceable.
Designing a system candidates can use
Contribution limits, disclosure duties and public financing rules work together. A change to one can affect who participates, how campaigns document contributions and what an enforcement agency must review.
We help reform organizations, coalitions and other clients examine those interactions. Policy work can address small-dollar public matching, eligibility requirements, disclosure, program administration and enforcement procedures. We research legal constraints and compare approaches before translating a goal into legislative language.
A record in public matching reform
Ben Kallos authored legislation advancing New York City’s expanded public matching system and advocated for changes that increased the importance of small contributions. He also chaired the Council committee responsible for oversight of campaign finance and testified on the development of New York State’s public-financing program.
That experience informs questions about the design of a program and the administrative work required to operate it. It also helps connect a reform proposal with the records and compliance processes candidates will need.
Policy research and advocacy
Our firm can review a proposed reform, prepare comparative legal research, draft bills and amendments, and help clients present testimony or comments. We can also assess how a proposal would interact with existing election and ethics rules.
An individual campaign’s filings, matching claims or audit require a different engagement. The firm’s New York City and New York State campaign-finance service pages explain those matters and provide a direct route for campaigns seeking counsel.