Top-spending lobbyists in the Legislature
Posted on April 22nd, 2008 – 3:17 PMBy James Shiffer
One of the purposes of Whistleblower is calling attention to public records that offer insight into how government works and where your tax money goes. I’m a huge fan of public records. They’re one of the only ways we have of keeping government accountable.
But records don’t do any good if no one looks at them. So in that spirit, I offer you the list of top spenders in the Minnesota Legislature, helpfully compiled by the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board.
At the top of the list is the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, with a $1.6 million lobbying outlay, followed closely by Education Minnesota, the 70,000-member teacher’s union, which spent $1.5 million lobbying the Legislature last year. The only other seven figure spenders were Minnesotans against Fraud and Higher Insurance Costs and the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities.
At the bottom of the list are such organizations as the Minnesota Pest Management Association ($400) and the Hutchinson Telephone Co. ($100).
Detailed reports on where the money went can be found here.
Mike Kaszuba’s story about the Mall of America’s quest for a taxpayer-financed $204 million parking lot cited its $740,000 lobbying expense in the 2007 Legislature. That’s the seventh biggest lobbying sum for 2007, but it’s more than three times what the megamall spent in 2006 and a far cry from the 500 bucks it spent in 2004. Still, the mall is making a good investment, if the lobbying pays off.
As part of its campaign in the Legislature, the mall is also recruiting help from the public with tips on how to write a letter to a lawmaker and testimonials from Mall of America fans.
9 Responses to “Top-spending lobbyists in the Legislature”
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James Eli Shiffer started the Whistleblower blog and column in 2008. A reporter and editor for 20 years, Shiffer is fascinated with the stories of regular people and believes in the power of journalism to make their lives better.
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April 22nd, 2008 at 7:54 pm
Couldn’t Education Minnesota used those millions of dollars the last few years to educate the children?
Just a thought
April 22nd, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Definition of “Vicious Cycle”: Tax dollars to teachers to Education Minnesota to DFL legislators to teachers, with interest.
Definition of “Virtuous Cycle”: Tax dollars to teachers based on merit who educate kids who grow up to be successful and pay taxes to teachers based on merit.
April 22nd, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Depends on what they got out of it. If their $1.5 million got them increased budgets of more than $1.5 million, then it was better spent lobbying than directly on programs.
It’s an investment. There are some risks, but the possible gains likely outweigh them considerably. It’s the same equation for anyone hiring lobbyists, or buying stocks/real estate/futures. X money now might get you 2X later.
April 22nd, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Teachers pay more than their fair share of educational expenses via personal income and property taxes and the money they spend on their classrooms…that is no longer tax deductable in Minnesota. The fact that their union lobbies for more money and better laws regarding education should impress the public.
April 22nd, 2008 at 10:46 pm
Education Minnesota isn’t funded with education dollars. It’s paid for by the teachers. Their lobbying is no different from that of any other professional organization.
April 23rd, 2008 at 6:22 am
MN Teachers spend many times that $1.5m out of their salaries each year to supplement what the state spends for kids in the classroom because the state significantly underfunds k-12 education due mostly to their copious unfunded mandates.
Just a thought.
Definition of “Recidivism Cycle:” When a self-righteous society ignors the basic needs of students so they don’t get the education required to find a job that pays for food, shelter, and taxes.
April 23rd, 2008 at 7:02 am
IT’S JUST LIKE THE ENERGIZER BUNNY. . . IT KEEPS ON GOING AND GOING AND GOING!
HOW CAN WE REGULATE IT WHEN THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LEGISLATION ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RECEIVING THE MONIES? TALK ABOUT A CATCH-22 SITUATION.
YOU NEWSPAPER COLUMNISTS ARE GREAT AT REPORTING THE OBVIOUS BUT YOU NEVER, EVER COME UP WITH ANY TYPE OF SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS YOU OUTLINE.
G KRULL
April 23rd, 2008 at 7:45 am
It appears that Education Minnesota wasn’t very successful. A 1% increase in the funding formula. A veto by the Gov. of a state wide health bill for all school employees. Maybe Education Minnesota should have spent the money on a moving van, one that would have moved the biggest obstacle to the students of Minnesota schools , Tim P.
April 27th, 2008 at 9:30 am
The only other seven figure spenders were Minnesotans against Fraud and Higher Insurance Costs (dba- the Insurance companies)
Yep , Good Faith was all about protecting the premium costs. LOL