AUGUSTA – Most legislative candidates who accept public campaign financing next year will receive less money than in previous elections under spending limits set by the state’s ethics commission.

Senators in an uncontested primary, for example, initially will receive about $400 less than in previous elections, and representatives in the same position will receive about $170 less.

Officials determined the funding levels by averaging the amounts that publicly and privately funded candidates spent in the past two elections.

There are exceptions to the cutbacks. The amount that state senators can spend in a contested primary went up by about $1,700 for 2004, and the allocation can be tripled depending on how much privately funded candidates spend.

Gubernatorial candidates who fund their campaigns under the Clean Elections Law, which took effect in 2000, also can expect a big infusion of cash.

The Legislature this year took over the task of setting the amounts and increased the amount publicly funded candidates in uncontested primaries may spend from roughly $120,000 to $600,000. The spending limit for the gubernatorial general election was raised from roughly $860,700 to $1.2 million.

Some candidates whose campaigns have been financed by the Clean Elections Law said the money allocated is not adequate.

James Libby, who used public funds to run in the 2002 Republican primary for governor, said the amounts are not enough to wage a successful primary campaign.

Even with the increase, he said, a privately funded candidate still will outspend publicly funded opposition: “We got outspent 2 to 1.”