What is the effect of Pay-to-Play?
• Instead of open and fair competition for contracts, public officials reward a few large contributors. The resulting price of these contracts is often higher because a discriminatory “insider network” is created that honest businesspeople don’t have access to. • Public contracts are more expensive because government contractors charge more to recoup their contributions. • Public officials engage in wasteful spending and issue more government contracts because Pay-To-Play helps them increase campaign funding. • Redevelopment contracts are awarded to campaign contributors, without regard to public cost, rather than to those best qualified to perform the work. • Public officials grant land use approvals without regard to the full costs to the community’s taxpayers. • Contributors often filter funds through outside political organizations, enabling those groups to influence the decisions of local officials.
