Cap money for legislative races

Follow the money in Springfield and you'll find yourself on a one-way street.

According to a new report by the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, legislative leaders and political parties doled out most of the money in the hottest state House and Senate races this year.

In the coming session, those same leaders will expect the grateful recipients to vote as they're told. Legislators who balk will risk having the money spigot turned off next time around.

New reforms are needed to break this financial dominance over the Statehouse rank and file. Or party leaders will continue to make big decisions behind closed doors without the open debate essential to a democracy.

According to the report, legislative leaders and parties shoveled in two-thirds of the money -- $16.7 million of $24.8 million -- spent by candidates in the 25 most competitive legislative elections this fall.

A campaign finance law that goes into effect Jan. 1 will impose fund-raising limits on candidates, but won't cap contributions by legislative leaders. Without such a cap, individual legislators will be more financially dependent on their leaders than ever.

This is a loophole that begs to be fixed before the next election.