In Orange County, Government Lobbyists Spent $1.1
Million to Lobby Other Government Officials. The Orange
County Register's OC Watchdog blog reports: "A tally of lobbying
expenditures for just eight
local governments in Orange County shows that $1.1 million was spent on government-to-government
influence-peddling, reports the Orange
County Grand Jury in its ominously-titled 'Lobbying: The Shadow Government.'"
The biggest spender was the Orange
County Transportation Authority, spending $336,000 on lobbyists. In second was the county itself, spending $240,000. Other
government agencies spending big on lobbying included: the Orange County Water District, $120,000; the Orange County Sanitation District, $110,000; the Municipal Water District of Orange County,
$80,000; the Orange County Fire Authority, $60,000; the
Orange County Employee Retirement System,
$40,000; and the Orange County Clerk-Recorder,
$30,000.
The blog noted
that this spending is just the tip of the iceberg: "When you consider that
just about all of OC's governments – 34 cities, and 28 school districts, and 31
special districts, and four
community college districts – employ lobbyists, well, it's clear we're
talking about millions upon millions of
dollars spent just so one branch of government (that's supposed to be
working for We The People) can ask for something from another branch of
government (that's also supposed to be working for We The People)."
(Source: Orange County Register's OC
Watchdog blog, June 10.)
Cal-Tax
recommendation: Government agencies at all levels should reduce or eliminate
lobbying expenses and redirect the money to programs that serve those in need.
Government officials are elected to represent the people in their districts,
and should be expected to be aware of their constituents' needs without being
lobbied by other elected officials.
Cal-TaxReports, June 14, 2010
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Association.
All Rights Reserved.