Reprinted from

Goverment lobbying costs fall
 

Scott Wente, Minn. State Capitol Bureau
Published Friday, January 18, 2008
 

ST. PAUL – The Minnesota Capitol complex is rife with lobbyists during legislative sessions, there to advocate for businesses and interest groups.

But big cities, small towns, school systems and even watershed districts also pay to be part of the action when lawmakers and state officials make decisions that affect them.

In 2006, that lobbying at the state level cost local governments – and taxpayers -- $7 million, according to a recent report by State Auditor Rebecca Otto.

The report prepared by Otto’s office showed local government lobbying expenses dropped by about 9 percent from the previous year. She said that is in line with a previous trend that had been interrupted for about four years during which the state faced budget shortfalls and local governments paid more to protect the money they received from the state.

“You have to be there for your community, your entity and the work you’re trying to do and the services you’re trying to provide to the citizens,” Otto said.

The annual report does not conclude whether local government’s spent their money wisely; Otto said that is left to local officials and voters to decide.

A majority of local governments’ lobbying was done through regional or statewide associations. For instance, more than 60 rural cities pay to belong to the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities, which spent 57 percent of the dues it received on lobbying. The amount of membership dues spent on lobbying varies by association.

The report also found that 63 local government entities -- from the state’s largest city to rural emergency service providers – paid their staff or hired private lobbyists to advocate for them at the Capitol. That is down from 83 in 2005, when the Legislature was crafting a two-year state budget.

Lobbying can include talking with legislators, organizing rallies, sending newsletters explaining issues and testifying before legislative committees.

Joel Carlson, a former lawmaker who lobbies for several communities as well as private associations, said it is important local governments are represented at the Legislature.

“It’s always beneficial for them,” Carlson said. “The question is whether or not the outcome is what they asked for.”

Otto’s office advises local governments to make sure they can justify lobbying expenses. Her office provides guidelines local governments should follow when hiring a lobbyist.

The amount spent on contracted lobbyists by the 63 entities varied greatly, depending on the entity’s size and number of issues it was focused on during the legislative session, Otto said.

Minneapolis, for example, spent nearly $420,000 for its own lobbyists.

Montevideo, meanwhile, paid $3,000 for a lobbyist to push for expansion of a state trail in the region. Steve Jones, Montevideo’s city manager, said that was done to help nearby Granite Falls, which was leading the trail initiative.

Jones said his city rarely hires a lobbyist beyond what it pays to government associations, but said it can be wise to pay for those services.

“I think the city is no different from anybody else that petitions the government,” he said. “We have a right to do it and we should.”

Local governments in rural Minnesota, especially, need to make sure their interests are protected at the Capitol, he added.

“Certainly we don’t want to spend massive amounts of money, but I think it’s an advantage to our taxpayers to have our voice heard there,” Jones said.

A constituent’s telephone call to a legislator is the most influential form of lobbying, said House Minority Leader Marty Seifert, R-Marshall. He said some local governments have cut back on lobbying expenses in recent years, “embarrassed” by what they were spending.

“I think the most effective representation they can do is to have local-elected people ... advocate for whatever is it they’re interested in and leave the lobbyists behind,” Seifert said.

Seifert said he understands why local governments pay for lobbyists. They can coordinate lobbying efforts, and it can be difficult for some local officials to travel to St. Paul, he said.

Still, Seifert added, “the prevalence and expense of it does bother some of us.”

Leading that group is Rep. Gene Pelowski, DFL-Winona, who said nobody realizes how much taxpayer money governments spend on lobbying.

“It’s worked its way into an accepted part of the process,” Pelowski said.

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Pelowski said local governments’ lobbying activities are the result of a “me-too” phenomenon, even though many entities assume lobbyists have more influence than they really do.

“A city does it and gets something. Then 10 other cities think they have to get it that way,” he said.

Pelowski said he has no problem with governments that pool resources and rely on an association to lobby on their behalf. He said he opposes money spent on associations’ lobbyists who claim they must be paid extra to advocate for an issue important to only one local government.

Lawmakers have discussed possible ways to limit local government lobbying, but have not seriously pursued it.

“Everything goes in cycles,” Pelowski said, “and I think you get to the point that it’s so obviously worthless they’ll finally say, ‘We’ll just have the legislator do it.’”

On the Web: www.auditor.state.mn.us