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California taxpayer-funded lobbying

Taxpayer-funded lobbying is government to government lobbying. counties, cities, school districts, public facilities, and associations of public employees frequently use public funds to influence legislation and appropriations at the state and federal levels.

This practice is controversial because public funds are spent to lobby for an agenda not subject to direct approval by voters, and outcomes may be contrary taxpayers benefit.

Journalist Dirk Werkman wrote in 1997 that the "Spending Lobby," what he calls taxpayer-funded lobbyists, "seek funding to carry out state mandates."[1]

"$59,396,100 were siphoned from the hundreds of millions of tax dollars these entities received during 1995-96 to provide police and other city services and to educate students. Instead, tax dollars were spent to obtain more tax dollars, or to block or seek new regulations."[1]

[edit] Currently

Lobbying by California governments for 2007 and 2008 is a significant portion of the total lobbying in the state. Lobbying by governments in California comprises 16.8% of total lobbying, or $92.6 of $552.6 million of total lobbying in California.[2] A more inclusive definition of "governments" changes increases the total for taxpayer-funded lobbying to almost a quarter of total lobbying.

[edit] Federal lobbying

California entities spend an estimated $20.7 in 2008 lobbying the federal government.[2] This number is significantly less than what California governments spend on lobbying within the state. Lobbying the federal government by state and local entities totaled $84.2 million for all states combined that year. [2]

[edit] Taxpayer-funded lobbying associations

From SR
Follow the Money on Proposition 90 Proposition 90 (2006) Funding, 32.9% from League of California Cities

The League of California Cities gave $4.8 million to the campaign to defeat California Proposition 90 (2006), an eminent domain reform initiative. This represented 32.9% of the total money spent to defeat Prop. 90, and it was paid for by taxpayers. (See also Ballotpedia:Taxpayer-funded lobbying.)[3]

The following is a list of California taxpayer-funded lobbying associations by type:

[edit] City and municipal

[edit] County

[edit] Emergency services

[edit] Justice

[edit] Local governments

[edit] Parks and recreation

[edit] Public employees

[edit] Professionals

[edit] School

[edit] Teachers and faculty

[edit] Other education and development

[edit] Other

[edit] References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "The 'Spending Lobby' Swings a Well-Financed Stick", Cal-Tax Digest, November 1997
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 State-Level Lobbying and Taxpayers: How Much Do We Really Know?, Pacific Research Institute
  3. ↑ Follow the Money on Proposition 90
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California taxpayer-funded lobbying associations
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B-California Assoc
Bay Area Governments • California Cities Allied With Prisons • California Construction Managers • California School Administrators • California Urban School Districts • California Water Agencies • California Adult Education Administrators • California Agricultural Commissioners & Sealers • California Air Pollution Control Officers • California Assessors • California Association For Alcohol/Drug Educators • California Association For Bilingual Education • California Association For Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance • California Association For The Gifted • California Association of Area Agencies On Aging • California Association of Clerks & Election Officials • California Association of Councils of Governments • California Association of County Treasurers & Tax Collectors • California Association of County Veterans Service Officers • California Association of Enterprise Zones • California Association of Highway Patrolmen • California Association of Joint Powers Authorities • California Association of Leaders For Career Preparation • California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions • California Association of Local Conservation Corps • California Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies • California Association of Port Authorities • California Association of Private Postsecondary Schools • California Association of Private Special Education Schools • California Association of Professional Scientists • California Association of Public Authorities For IHSS • California Association of Recreation & Park Districts • California Association of Regional Occupational Centers And Programs • California Association of Sanitation Agencies • California Association of School Business Officials • California Association of School Counselors • California Association of School Psychologists • California Association of School Transportation Officials • California Association of Suburban School Districts • California Association of Teachers Of English To Speakers Of Other Languages • California Association of Teachers Of English • California Association of Work Experience Educators
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California Attorneys-California Su
California Attorneys Administrative Law Judges And Hearing Officers In State Employment • California Central Valley Flood Control Association • California Charter Schools Association • California Child Development Administrators Association • California Community College Association For Occupational Education • California Continuation Education Association • California Correctional Peace Officers Association • California County Superintendents Educational Services Association • California Department of Forestry Firefighters • California Faculty Association • California Fire Chiefs Association • California Fish & Game Warden Supervisors and Managers Association • California Housing Authorities Association • California Judges Association • California Language Teachers' Association • California Law Enforcement Association Of Records Supervisors • California League Of High Schools • California League Of Middle Schools • California Mental Health Directors Association • California Narcotic Officers' Association • California Peace Officers Association • California Police Chiefs' Association • California Probation, Parole And Correctional Association • California Professional Firefighters • California Public Parking Association • California Retired County Employees Association • California Retired Teachers Association • California School Boards Association • California School Employees Association • California School Personnel Commissioners Association • California Sexual Assault Investigators Association • California Special Districts Association • California State Association of Counties • California State Association Of Public Administrators, Public Guardians, And Public Conservators • California State Coroners' Association • California State Employees Association • California State Park Rangers Association • California State Sheriffs' Association • California State University, Office Of The Chancellor • California Statewide Law Enforcement Association • California Substitute Teachers
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Ch-W
Chief Probation Officers' Of California • Child Support Directors Association • Coalition of University Employees • Contra Costa County Superintendents Coalition • Council Of UC Faculty Associations • County Administrative Officers Association of California • County Alcohol and Drug Program Administrators Association of California • County Health Executives Association Of California • County Recorders Association of California • County Welfare Directors Association Of California • Emergency Medical Services Administrators Association of California • Faculty Association of California Community Colleges • Fire Districts Association of California • First 5 Association of California • Glendale City Employees Association • High School Districts Association • Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities • Home Economics Teachers Association of California • Independent California Colleges & Universities • Independent Cities Association • League of California Cities • Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association • Los Angeles County Police Chiefs Association • Los Angeles County Professional Peace Officers Association • Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs • Los Angeles Police Protective League • Los Angeles Unified School District Personnel Commission • Low Wealth Schools • Merced County Association of Governments • Mosquito & Vector Control Association of California • Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California • Municipal Information Systems Association of California • National Emergency Number Association • Orange County Division, League of California Cities • Orange County Deputy Sheriffs • Orange County Employees Association • Peace Officers Research Association of California • Professional Engineers in California Government • Regional Center Agencies • Retired Public Employees Association • Retired Teachers • Riverside County Schools Advocacy Association • Riverside Sheriffs’ Association • Sacramento Area Council of Governments • San Bernardino County Safety Employees’ Benefit Association • San Bernardino Public Employees Association • San Diego Association of Governments • San Diego County Court Employees • San Diego County Employees Retirement Association • San Diego Municipal Employees Association • San Francisco Police Officers Association • San Luis Obispo County Employees Association • San Mateo County-City/County Association Of Governments • Santa Cruz County School Boards Association • Santa Rosa City Employees • School Employers Association Of California • Small School Districts' Association • Southern California Association Of Governments • State Association of County Auditors • State Association of County Retirement Systems • State Coalition of Probation Organizations • Tulare County Association of Governments • United Teachers Los Angeles • Western Association of Schools and Colleges
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Lists of taxpayer-funded lobbying associations
By type

National organizations
Cities • Counties • Schools • Police • Universities

By state

Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming •

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