In response to the Texas Observer’s investigative series, “The School Board Backers,” State Representative Erin Zwiener has fervently advocated for reforms in campaign finance regulations. She expressed deep concern about the ongoing lack of transparency in local election finances, particularly in previously nonpartisan school board races. Zwiener emphasized the complexity and inaccessibility of these records, which are often presented in handwritten forms and scattered across numerous local entities’ websites, making it challenging to comprehend broader financial trends.
She stressed the urgency of modernizing the system, calling for digitization to enable easier access and analysis, similar to the consolidated state-level reports available on the Texas Ethics Commission website. Zwiener highlighted the absence of campaign contribution limits in Texas, which exacerbates the difficulty in identifying wealthy donors influencing local races. Despite past attempts to push for legislative amendments focused on transparency and contribution limits, she lamented the political and practical obstacles impeding progress.
Zwiener acknowledged the technological limitations of the Texas Ethics Commission system, indicating the need for infrastructure investments to address the outdated software and server struggles. However, she underscored that the issue extended beyond the Commission, emphasizing the dire need for better technological infrastructure across various agencies.
Regarding proposed reforms, Zwiener advocated for a $5,000 individual limit and $10,000 limit for PACs, aiming to curb the influence of individual donors on races. She revealed the common misconception among many Texans assuming there are existing limits, similar to federal regulations, highlighting the critical need for education on the absence of such limits in local elections.
Furthermore, Zwiener expressed skepticism about the idea that increased funding in hyperlocal races would automatically enhance voter engagement, cautioning against the risk of turning nonpartisan races into partisan battlegrounds. She proposed that real-time access to digital election reports would provide relevant information to voters, stressing the importance of empowering citizens with accessible tools for informed decision-making, especially amid dwindling local media accountability.
The Texas Observer’s investigative series, “The School Board Backers,” was supported by a grant from the Fund for Investigative Journalism.
