Just after Labor Day last year, Republican candidate Chandler Woodcock still had a chance in the race for governor. Then a series of ads digitally altered to show him walking backwards ran and he no longer had a chance. The digital tweaking wasn’t the only problem with the ads, however. Under Maine’s rules they were not considered political ads – called express advocacy – and their funding did not have to be reported.

That not only keeps Maine in the dark about who is paying for what, but leaves publicly funded candidates, as Sen. Woodcock was, without the ability to receive matching funds to counter the ads. Had those same ads been aired not in September but in late October, a different set of rules would have applied, the funding would have been reported and the matching dollars sent out. The distinction is supposed to allow for educative ads that do not back a particular candidate but the line between the types of ads is a sham. (Republicans also got away with such an ad at that time, a clear promotion for their candidate that pretended to be otherwise.)

Extending the period for real campaign reporting to the Maine Ethics Commission from the current 21 days to 60 days is one of the improvements proposed by LD 1854. It’s a needed change, though the 60 days itself might be inadequate; the goal should be to require full reporting by the time the Labor Day weekend arrives.

The commission staff had several other useful suggestions, with supporting examples and comments found in its new study on the state’s public finance system. For instance, of particular concern to a couple of former publicly funded gubernatorial candidates was the rate at which they received funds – more up front would give them more options for spending throughout the campaign, they said.

Equally important from the perspective of several legislators who have submitted bills on the issue is whether the qualifying standards are tough enough for gubernatorial candidates. Candidates themselves have assured the commission that the necessary 2,500 $5 contributions are difficult enough to obtain already. In response, the commission staff has reasonably proposed requiring that candidates raise $15,000 in seed money in contributions no greater than $100 and only from Maine residents. Seed money currently is voluntary and can be sought anywhere.

Those changes would likely exclude candidates who otherwise would qualify for the public funding, and lawmakers must be careful to avoid turning the public-funding system into a money pipeline exclusively for major-party candidates. But the package of reforms is worth considering for the 2010 election and reviewing afterwards.

The key to keeping public funding alive in Maine is recognizing that it must evolve as Maine gains experience with it and as candidates and their helpful advocacy groups learn how to skirt its rules. LD 1854 keeps the state on pace with the campaigns.