Nicole Brodeur, a columnist for the Seattle Times devotes her space today to Fair Elections Action Week, the wisdom of publicly financing campaigns, and the forum that Washington Public Campaigns will host tomorrow at the University of Washington about supporting public financing for state races.

Brodeur reflects on Seattle city council candidates, and school board candidates tasked with raising thousands of dollars and entering office already indebted to contributors:

Tim Burgess wrote the other day, asking for money.

He won a seat on the Seattle City Council, trouncing incumbent David Della. But that also put him $58,000 in the hole. This is a fine way to enter public office, isn't it? Standing on the threshold of public office, hat in hand?

[. . .]

The WPC is asking for a sea change. That's hard to do in Seattle, where this year's races for School Board drew unprecedented contributions from the business community. One candidate, Peter Maier, raised $163,000 — more than 10 times what his opponent Sally Soriano did.

"Show me the money" isn't so funny, in that context.

Then I think of a brilliant woman I know who would make a great city councilwoman, but whose supporters are hardly well-heeled.

Good to see this forum getting coverage in a big paper like the Times, I think Brodeur's column illustrates a truth about advocating on behalf of full public financing of campaigns: though most people are unaware that states like Maine and Arizona offer the opportunity to seek office without playing the high-dollar fundraising game, once you tell them about it most agree it's a great idea.

If you live in the Seattle area, be sure and attend the Washington Public Campaigns forum tomorrow, Saturday the 17th, at 7:30PM at University of Washington's Kane Hall.