Lake County Democratic Party leaders have agreed to abolish mandatory contributions to the party by government employees.

"We are throwing off the shackles of old-time politics," Democratic Chairman Thomas McDermott Jr. said. "Our first resolution is to eliminate 2 percent clubs from the Lake County Democratic Party."

That is an admirable move, but it needs additional support.

The 2 percent clubs require government employees to tithe 2 percent of their income to the party, a form of institutionalized extortion.

"There were active 2 percent clubs going on, although I don't want to name names, but they should not be a part of Democratic politics anymore," McDermott said.

The 2 percent clubs reek of Katie Hall politics. In 2003, she and her daughter, Junifer Hall, were convicted for extorting thousands of dollars from Gary employees while Katie Hall was city clerk and Junifer Hall was her chief deputy.

Lake County's Democratic leadership has some clout now to enforce the ban on 2 percent clubs. Any incumbent who violates the rule could lose the party leadership's automatic support, under rules approved last week.

The problem with the party's stance on these 2 percent clubs is that it's too easily overturned.

This vestige of the sordid past needs to be permanently banned, not just by the party chieftains' agreement, but also by state law. This is a cause that should be picked up by one of the local legislators.

Let candidates receive financial support from people who truly support them and their positions, not from employees who have to donate as a condition of employment.