Oregon Public Broadcasting

Portland commissioners have referred the city's publicly-financed election system to the ballot.

For the past five years, candidates who can raise enough $5 donations in support of their campaigns can qualify for $145,000 to spend trying to get elected.

Only a handful of candidates have qualified for funding, and only two have won office under its terms. They are former Commissioner Erik Sten, and Commissioner Amanda Fritz.

Amanda Fritz: "One of the things I like about this system is it's a choice. There are limits for how much those who choose to run with private money can raise without there being matching funds. There's limits to the matching funds, if someone did want to fundraise independently, they could. It's certainly honorable to choose either mechanism."

The Portland Business Alliance has gone on record opposing the system.

PBA President Sandy McDonough says the money should be spent on other things, like economic development. PBA also wanted the council to end the program without a ballot referral.

Voters will decide in November whether the system should continue.