California's Proposition 4 would allow statewide public financing of political campaigns

California voters are set to decide on Proposition 4, which would let local governments establish public financing for candidates for political office. If passed, the initiative would fund portions of campaigns of candidates for state and local office with taxpayer dollars.

 Five cities in the state currently allow public campaign funds: Berkeley, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Oakland and San Francisco. 

California is the only state that outright bans the system, although not every state uses it. Such systems exist today in states like New York, Florida, Arizona and Nevada. 

California's Prop. 4 specifies that public funds used for campaigns must not be previously earmarked for education, transportation, or public safety. 

According to the California Secretary of State's Voter Guide, Prop. 4's passage would cost the state "a few hundred thousand dollars each year for the Fair Political Practices Commission to answer questions from state and local governments about public campaign finance programs."

"State and local governments could create public campaign financing programs for public office candidates, subject to limits on which public funds could be used, how the public funds could be used, and who could receive them," the voter guide says. The limits would be determined by the state and local governments.

Supporters of the initiative say it would lower the power and influence of private money in elections, encouraging candidates to run for office despite a lack of financial backing. The California Democratic Party endorsed the proposition.

The opposition, which includes the California Taxpayers Association, says taxpayer funds could be used to fuel negative campaigns.