Giving to America's Not-So-Neediest

You may have noticed -- if you're the sort of person who's already done your taxes -- that the little checkoff box for the Presidential Campaign Fund has increased from $1 to $3. Why? Since 1973, the spending limits for elections have been indexed for inflation but the checkoff hasn't, so its value has consistently declined (taxpayer participation has hovered around 20% for the past decade). By 1992, the amount raised, $153,191,152, was barely enough to cover election costs. Officials expect the new, improved checkoff will easily cover 1996's tab.