U.S. Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, isn't the only politician wrestling with the concept of public campaign financing.

McCain is waiting for regulators to tell him whether he can opt out of the federal financing scheme since he used his earlier participation as collateral for a bank loan. An adverse decision would make McCain subject to spending limits that would severely hobble his efforts.

Often derided as "welfare for politicians," public campaign financing is under serious attack in the Florida Legislature. The idea is to level the playing field for novices by offering state matching money in exchange for a pledge by the recipient to limit spending.

On Thursday, the House Ethics and Elections Committee voted 4-3 for a proposal by Rep. Alan Hays, R-Umatilla, that could be the last nail in the coffin for Florida's reform plan. The retired dentist wants to give voters a chance in November to erase public campaign financing from the state Constitution.

Critics argue that at a time when lawmakers are looking to cut more than $2.5 billion, it doesn't make sense to bankroll politicians running for statewide office, especially since Republican leaders in 2005 virtually gutted the concept by nearly doubling the spending caps.

As a result, Gov. Charlie Crist was able to draw $3.3 million from the state coffers and still spend a record $22 million on his successful race in 2006. Overall, candidates for governor and the Cabinet received about $11 million in public money in 2006.

The House Ethics and Elections committee passed Hays' resolution 4-3 on Thursday, with Rep. Loranne Ausley of Tallahassee and two fellow Democrats voting against.

Ausley pointed out that one of the state's most popular Republicans, Bob Milligan, owes his successful campaign for a former Cabinet post to public campaign financing.

Ben Wilcox, executive director of Common Cause Florida, said the loss of the program would set back for efforts to fight the potentially corrupting influence of big money on campaigns.

"By raising the spending limits, it took away the public benefit," Wilcox said. "Instead of stripping public financing entirely, they should sit down and work on some reforms."