The legislative special session begins next week and there are several important issues on the Governor’s call, like property tax reform, bail reform and, of course, responding to the recent flooding tragedy. One issue that shouldn’t go overlooked is banning taxpayer funded lobbying.
When the issue first popped up years ago many Texans believed it referred to lobbyists advocating on behalf of taxpayers. But that’s exactly backwards.
“Taxpayer funded lobbying is government lobbying government for more government,” says my colleague James Quintero.
Indeed, Texas local governments spend as much as $100 million to hire lobbyists in Austin to push for things the governments want, which is generally not in the taxpayers’ interest – more spending, higher taxes, less accountability. That’s tens of millions of dollars that could go to public safety, infrastructure, roads, teacher raises, lowering property taxes, and any number of more important priorities.
Local government officials will say they have to spend the money because it’s “their voice” in Austin. But that is nonsense. For starters, it is simply not the case that mayors, superintendents, or city councilmen cannot communicate directly with their district representatives. They can easily pick up the phone and save millions of dollars.
But even they think they are too busy to do it themselves, they can hire government relations staff that can do it for them who would cost considerably less for the taxpayer.
The reason they don’t is because then the activities of those employees would be subject to transparency requirements and other guidelines. But a lobbyist with a handful of taxpayer cash can do whatever they want – schmoozing politicians with lavish dinners and, indirectly, providing campaign contributions.
When cities, counties, school districts, and other public entities take money from hardworking Texans to hire lobbyists they cross an ethical line that lawmakers in the Texas Legislature have every right, and responsibility, to prevent.
It’s a seedy practice that wastes critical resources, fosters corruption, and ultimately results in Texas taxpayers being worse off at their own expense. It’s why 81% of Texans oppose funding lobbyists with tax dollars and should be banned during the special session.
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