Who is Powerful and Why? CT, MA, NJ, NY Michal Adut & Tess Wendel
Dec 19, 2015
Top Contributors Connecticut (2006)
Top 5 Industries Lawyers & Lobbyists Party Committees Real Estate Candidate Self-finance Securities & Investment
Unions
Business
Parties and Candidates
Civil Servants/Public Officials/Retirees
Top Contributors Massachusetts (2004)
Top 5 Industries Lawyers & Lobbyists Party Committees Candidate Self-Finance Real Estate Candidate Self Finance
Unions
Business
Parties and Candidates
Civil Servants/Public Officials
Top Contributors New Jersey (2007)
Top 5 Industries Party Committees Candidate Committees General Trade Unions Lawyers & Lobbyists Public Subsidy
Unions
Business
Parties and Candidates
Civil Servants/Public Officials
Public Subsidy
Top Contributors New York (2006)
Top 5 Industries Candidate CommitteesReal EstateParty CommitteesPublic Sector UnionsLawyers & Lobbyists
Unions
Business
Parties and Candidates
Civil Servants/Public Officials/Retirees
Who’s Got Clout?
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Unions Business Parties andCandidates
Civil Servants/PublicOff.
CT MA NJ NY
Percent Contribution Per Industry
Ballot Initiative: Question 1
Allows Grocery Stores to Sell Wine
Why a ballot? Failure of Prior legislative initiatives
2006 Election v. Other Election Years
% of Total Contributions in 2006
4.8%4.8%5.7%
24.3%
6.6%
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
CandidateSelf- finance
FoodProcessing &
Sales
PartyCommittees
Lawyers &Lobbyists
Beer, Wine& Liquor
2004
6.6% 6.5%4.6%
3.0% 2.3%
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Lawyers PartyCommittees
CandidateSelf Finance
Real Estate CandidateCommittees
2002
23.4%
5.9% 5.2%
2.4% 2.2%
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
CandidateSelf
Finance
Lawyers PublicSubsidy
RealEstate
Retired
2000
10.0%
4.0% 3.9% 3.4% 3.1%
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Lawyers Real Estate Candidate SelfFinance
Trade Unions CivilServants/Public
Off.
Supporters
Stop and Shop Shaw’s, Hannaford Whole Foods and others
Spent a total of $7,809,485Image Source:http://saharamart.com/grocery.php
Opposition Massachusetts Package Stores Association Beer Distributors of Massachusetts Spent a total of $5,580,633 Outsider dimension: “Bill is more than just
convenience, there will be a social and public safety cost”
Image Source: http://www.bu.edu/phpbin/news-cms/news/?dept=1368&id=41565
Results
Massachusetts voter reject ballot initiative despite early polls showing strong support
Most expensive ballot question campaign in state history
Works Cited USA Today “Massachusetts voters reject ballot initiative on
wine in grocery stores” http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/vote2006/MA/2006-11-07-ballot-initiatives_x.htm
Follow the Money. “Ballot Measures” http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/state_ballot_measures.phtml?s=MA&y=2006
Boston.com “Grocers spend big in bid to sell wine Stop & Shop leads the way in fight with package stores, liquor firms to woo voters” http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2006/09/12/grocers_spend_big_in_bid_to_sell_wine/
Lyke to Drink. “Politics and Wine in Massachusetts” http://lyke2drink.blogspot.com/2006/10/politics-and-wine-in-massachusetts_18.html
http://www.FollowtheMoney.org