The Dispatch from Moline, Illinois • 6

A6 THE DISPATCH TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1994 LOCAL Q-C PACs make presents felt in '94 campaign PACs based in the Quad-Cities Deere's major legislative interests: advancement of free trade, health care reform and environmental law. On average, Republicans get more money from Deere than Democrats, Anderson acknowledged. The GOP also does well with the American Rental Association PAC, or ARAPAC. It is the area's only trade association PAC. Irish said the group follows small business legislation closely Here are all of the political action committees headquartered in the Quad-Cities.

They are listed by the amount they have spent in the 1993-94 election cycle. Amounts are combined for organizations that have more than one PAC. Deere Co. Civic Action Fund, Deere Political Action Committee-Illinois (Deere-lllinois), Political Action Committee-Iowa (Deere Iowa), Moline, $224,226. Aluminum, Brick Glass Workers International Union Local 105 Cope Fund, Federal Cope Account, Bettendorf, $18,285.

American Rental Association Political Action Committee (ARAPAC), Moline, $15,198. Modern Woodmen of America Political Action Committee, Accident and Life Political Action Committee (WALPAC), Rock Island, $14,100. Iowa-Illinois Gas And Electric Co. Political Action Committee General and Political Action Committee Federal, Davenport, $13,075. Corridor 67, Inc.

Political Action Committee PAC 67, Jacksonville, $6,138. Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union 25 Political Action Committee, Rock Island, $1,490. Note: Totals represent spending from Jan. 1, 1993 through Sept. 30 or Oct.

19, 1994, depending on the PACs latest disclosure reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. Source: Federal Election Commission. 'If we contact that individual later about an issue, we hope we will get an ear. Not necessarily sympathetic, but we just want an ear. really the purpose of all 1 Jim Irish, American Rental Assoc.

PAC By Edward Felker SNG Washington Bureau WASHINGTON Jim Irish has a telling explanation when asked why the Moline-based American Rental Association's political action committee makes campaign donations of exactly $501. "We think it puts our name on a little different list on the (candidate's) computer," said Irish said. "It's a ploy to garner attention." Civic leaders from towns along U.S. 67 also want a little recognition. So they formed PAC 67 to accompany their Corridor 67 lobbying group.

"We have one goal and one goal only: That's completion of a foUr-lane highway from the Quad-Cities to Alton," said Jean R. Cummins, secretary of Jacksonville-based Corridor 67 and PAC 67. "Pure and simple, we set up a PAC to get attention." Attention, attention, attention it's a common theme among the dozen PACs headquartered in the Quad-City area. Like their 8,000 brethren nationwide, the Quad-Cities PACs have been active this campaign year, hoping to both propel favored candidates into office and get a friendly reception when they come calling later. "If we contact that individual later about an issue, we hope we will get an ear," Irish said.

"Not necessarily sympathetic, but we just want an ear. And that's really the purpose of all PACs." PACs have been legal since 1972 for trade associations, labor all four types of PACs exist in the Quad-Cities and are run by local people. The lone independent is PAC 67. It is not connected to an organized entity, which under law could pay PAC overhead and administrative costs. The biggest corporate-connected PAC, and biggest by far of all in the Quad-Cities, are those that are part of John Deere Co.

The farm machinery company's executives and managers support three PACs that since January, 1993, have handed out more than $224,000 to congressional and state candidates nationwide. Deere's primary PAC, the Deere Civic Action Fund, is among the approximately 700 elite PACs that gave more than $50,000 to congressional candidates in the 1991-1992 election cycle. The fund solicits voluntary contributions from non-executive managers with the exception of front-line supervisors, said Bob Anderson, the company's public policy and planning manager. The smaller Deere-Illinois PAC is primarily funded by executives. And the Deere-Iowa PAC is funded by Deere's Iowa-based managers and directs all of its money to Iowa state races, Anderson said.

Anderson said the PACs give Deere management a voice in politics far beyond the local scene. "You can always vote, but you can only vote for the people in your precinct or your county or your district," Anderson said. Democrats to support. And we want to support Democrats, because we want to be a bipartisan PAC." Traditional Democratic-leaning labor PACs also exist in the Quad-Cities. The largest of two labor-connected givers was the Aluminum Brick and Glass Workers Union Local 105 in Bettendorf, which maintains two PACs.

One gives primarily to state candidates, the other to federal congressional races. The federal PAC has made only two contributions since April, including a $4,000 contribution to Democratic congressional candidate Glen Winekauf. He is on the ballot against incumbent U.S. Rep. Jim Leach, R-Davenport.

"We mainly endorse Democrats because they are more in tune with labor," said Joe Matesic, co-chairman of the PAC. Matesic said the local's members hope to build a closer relationship with lawmakers when their PAC gets involved. Like other area PACs, the goal is to stand out a little when they voice a concern. i Local 105 members could leave it to their parent AFL-CIO to contribute from its PAC, but because they can organize locally they believe it's an opportunity to seize. "An advantage we have is closer contact with the legislators than the international (AFL-CIO)," Matesic said.

"It's better off for us to do it that way. It's a more personal touch for us." because most of its 3,600 core members own small rental businesses. (Irish stresses that his organization does not represent so-called "rent-to-own" businesses.) The small business concern accounts for the fact that the PAC gave nearly every penny of the $14,873 contributed since January 1993 to Republicans. "Ninty-nine percent Republican, 1 percent Irish said. "We have a very difficult time, based on voting records, of finding unions and corporations, as well as for independent groups.

They can gather money from members and then contribute up to $10,000 to a candidate in a single election cycle: $5,000 for a primary and another $5,000 for the general election. Of course, critics say PACs should be outlawed. They contend that PACs do much more than simply give a group entree to lawmakers, that they represent the takeover of politics by narrow interests. But as long as they remain legal, organizations that can form PACs will use them to advance their agendas. And despite the stereotypical image of PACs as tools employed by slick Washington lobbyists, R.I.

library friends set monthly meeting Exquisite Jewelry Precious Gems Watches Distinctive Gifts I I WUlQQ ROCK ISLAND The Friends of the Rock Island Public Library has planned its monthly luncheon meeting for 11:30 a.m. Nov. 14 in the Community Room at the library, 401 19th St. The featured program starts at 12:30 p.m., followed by a busi ness meeting. Cost is $3.50 and reservations are required by Thursday.

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