This post originally appeared at https://badgerbubbler.com/news/campaign-finance-transparency
Last week I talked about Wisconsin changing the laws regarding carpetbagging which I would like to see modified to make residency requirements unified for all local elections. This week I’d like to address the campaign finance reporting exemption. There are two aspects concerning exceptions on the books, one is a Statement of No Activity which I believe should be maintained as is. 
The second is a Reporting Exemption. Here is the law according to WEC website:
To be eligible for a reporting exemption, the committee must not accept contributions or expenditures in aggregate of $2,500 in a calendar year. Wis. Stat. § 11.0104(1)(a). Incurred debts and obligations are included in the $2,500 threshold. A committee which in a calendar year, collects $1,600 of contributions and spends $1,000 has $2,600 of aggregate activity and is not eligible to claim exemption.
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- For a candidate committee, contributions (including loans) from the candidate are included in the $2,500 threshold.
- As a conduit does not report its receipts, the $2,500 threshold only applies to expenditures. Wis. Stat. § 11.0104(1)(a).
- A committee or conduit’s exempt status remains in effect only for the calendar year in which the request is made. Wis. Stat. § 11.0104(2).
I believe this exemption should be eliminated if for no other reason than transparency concerning money in campaigns.
In Milwaukee, we had an election for a seat on the common council. The lady who won the election claimed a Reporting Exemption despite purchasing yard signs, reported multiple mailings, campaign literature, and hiring a lawyer to help prove she met residency requirements. The election included a primary. It’s almost impossible to imagine running in a primary and a general election without meeting the threshold of collecting and spending less than $2,500. But who knows when someone claims the reporting exemption?
This change along with the carpetbagging laws should be easily supported by both the Republicans and Democrats in the legislature and signed by the Governor.