What's behind many of our society's worst problems? Why can't many elderly Americans afford medicine? Why does our environment continue to be degraded? Why is inequality growing so rapidly that the top 1 percent of income earners take almost all new wealth created in our country? Why do college graduates get saddled with massive debt?

While most voters oppose these harmful trends, our elected officials are unable or unwilling to take legislative measures to turn these trends around.

The big problem is the power and influence of big money and special interests in our country's political system. The infamous U.S. Supreme Court Citizens United opinion in 2010 (which essentially declared money is speech and corporations are people) opened the door to unlimited spending to distort and deform our democratic system. The fossil fuels industry successfully secures billions in completely unneeded tax breaks while renewable energy development is ignored or opposed. Big Pharma ensures that we pay between three and 100 times as much for medicines as countries like Canada. Big money, often from hidden sources, buys undue influence and control over our political system to the detriment of democracy and the welfare of Americans.

The problem has been most evident at the national and state levels. Billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch have bundled money from fellow billionaires to elect candidates who will do their bidding. Through the American Legislative Exchange Council, they develop and introduce anti-environment, anti-labor, anti-consumer and similar legislation at the state level. Having successfully gained disproportionate influence in many states, they are now turning their sights to cities and counties through an organization called the American City Council Exchange.

Fortunately, the city of St. Petersburg has an opportunity to preserve its democratic system and to curb undue influence by moneyed special interests. Operating through the organizations Free Speech for People and American Promise, national constitutional and election lawyers have crafted a carefully worded ordinance for St. Petersburg that curbs the influence of big outside money in our local city elections.

If enacted, the Defend Our Democracy ordinance would ban super PACs from operating in city elections and limit contributions from "significantly foreign-owned" corporations to $5,000. Super PACs are distinguished from ordinary political action committees because they are allowed to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money, and they can keep the sources of their money hidden by "laundering" contributions through organizations that do not have to report where the money comes from. "Significantly foreign-owned" corporations are those with 5 percent or more ownership by foreign nationals, meaning primarily large national corporations, not local businesses.

This ordinance would massively curb the influence of hidden or unaccountable big money special interests in city elections, yet it has been carefully crafted to likely be held constitutional, even by our current U.S. Supreme Court. It would forever protect our democratic system in the city. The people, not big money, would decide the city's policies. The residents of St. Petersburg overwhelmingly support it: Preliminary polling indicates support well in excess of 80 percent. The St. Petersburg City Council and mayor should enthusiastically support it.

The only significant argument heard against the changes is that the city may be sued by special interest groups, and if the city loses the city might end up responsible for legal fees for the other side. This is not a persuasive argument. First, democracy has no price. Second, legal assistance for the city's side would be provided pro bono by renowned constitutional lawyers. Third, the city will likely win the case, in the opinion of these lawyers. Fourth, potential liability is really quite small: investigation has shown it to likely be less than $400,000 — if such liability would exist at all.

It might be tempting to think that simply disclosing the source of contributions could be an adequate substitute for curbing big money contributions. But special interests can "launder" their contributions to super PACs by running them through other entities, thus making full disclosure impossible. Second, simple disclosure doesn't get at the root of the problem: outsized and undue influence from those with the most money. We support stronger disclosure requirements in St. Petersburg politics, but only as an addition to campaign finance reform, not a replacement for it.

St. Petersburg should provide an example to cities throughout the nation by passing the Defend Our Democracy ordinance. Keep the people's voice in charge, not that of unaccountable outsider special interests. Democracy itself is at stake.

Karl Nurse is a St. Petersburg City Council member.