A panel has recommended that taxpayers foot the bill for political campaigns in order to lessen corruption in elections.

The Moreland Commission found widespread abuses by legislators, especially when it comes to how they spent campaign contributions. Commission members say they found "deplorable conduct, some of it perfectly legal yet profoundly wrong; some of it potentially illegal."

One of the commission's main recommendations is public financing of campaigns. Supporters say that would eliminate the temptation of elected officials to do special favors while in office to any private individuals or corporations that donated large amounts of cash to their campaigns.

Other recommendations from the commission include lowering the amount of money that people can donate to campaigns and enacting stricter controls over how money is spent.