Bobseine for Assembly, the committee formed to support Democrat Michael Bobseine of Fredonia in his bid to replace state Assemblyman Andy Goodell, R-Jamestown, has generated $10,892.91 in qualifying expenditures and in return can receive $109,530 in public campaign money. Andrew Molitor, the endorsed Republican candidate, has yet to qualify for public funding as of July 31. So far this year, Bobseine’s campaign has raised $18,355.55 and spent $13,872.98 while Molitor’s campaign has raised $17,962 and spent $4,732.

As a comparison, Goodell opened 2022 with $57,824.15 in his campaign account and ended 2022 with a balance of $59,607.31.

HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS

The New York State Public Campaign Finance Program provides candidates running for statewide or state legislative office the ability to qualify for public matching funds based on small donations ranging from $5 to $250 from residents in their district. The program is open to candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, state attorney general, state comptroller, state Senate and state Assembly.

Andrew Molitor, Chautauqua County first assistant district attorney, is pictured with his family. Molitor announced today he is running for the 150th Assembly seat currently held by Assemblyman Andrew Goodell, R-Jamestown.

Beyond registration of an authorized committee and submission of an application and certification, the program requires the office to be contested, with write-in opponents not counted, and candidates are not allowed to personally spend more than three times the contribution limit for an individual on the campaign. State Assembly candidates have to raise at least $6,000 from at least 75 separate district residents. Senate candidates have to raise $12,000 from at least 150 different district residents.

Once those criteria are reached, the candidate can receive public campaign funding. Contributions for state legislative office (State Senate and State Assembly) are matched in a tiered system, whereby the first $50 of a contribution is matched at a 12:1 ratio, the next $100 is matched at a 9:1 ratio, and the next $100 is matched at an 8:1 ratio.

That means a $10 contribution can receive $120 in matching state funds, while a $100 contribution can receive $1,050 in state matching funds.

TWEAKING THE SYSTEM

Gov. Kathy Hochul vetoed legislation in December that would have increased the limits to receive public funding to the maximum campaign contribution limit, which can be as much as $18,000 for statewide races. Hochul’s veto kept the program limited to small dollar donations.

There weren’t attempts during the 2024 legislative session to make such major changes to the program. Instead, suggested legislative changes have been smaller in nature. Sen. James Skoufis, D-Cornwall, proposed legislation (S.8969) that would require donors to be a resident of the Senate or Assembly district of the candidate to whom they are donating. That bill was introduced in April and did not advance out of committee before the end of the 2024 legislative session.

Skoufis and Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli, D-Syracuse, introduced a bill (A.10539/S.9835) in June that would require candidates to repay to the state unspent public matching funds rather than rolling them over to another election cycle. That bill was introduced so late in the legislative session that it, too, didn’t advance out of committee. Both bills can be considered when the legislature reconvenes in January.