A state commission is considering limitating political donations by companies, unions and trade groups in order to lessen their control over elections.

Current rules say groups can spend as much as they want on executive or court races but individuals are limited to $2,800. Special-interest groups, often with names that mask their geographical location or political ties, have spent $2.7 million on state races so far this year, mostly on the nasty primary races for state supreme court.

Initiative campaigns are another story. So far, an initiative to repeal state zoning rules, I-933, has attracted $2.3 million for and against. A national group called Americans for Limited Government donated $260,000 to support I-933, which would require governments to either pay property owners for hindering development on their land or exempt them from zoning rules.