Local government lobbying up 10 percent last year

By BOB VON STERNBERG, Star Tribune

Last update: June 10, 2009

Last year, local governments spent $8.5 million lobbying at the State Capitol, an increase of nearly 10 percent over what they spent in 2007.

The State Auditor's annual report on local government lobbying also found that associations representing those entities spent another $4.6 million on lobbying, most of it funded through dues.

That also represents an increase of nearly 10 percent, compared to a year earlier.

Among local governments, the City of Minneapolis spent the most last year -- $401,551 -- followed, in order, by Hennepin County, St. Paul, Anoka County and the Metropolitan Airports Commission.

Cities and counties spent about two-thirds of the $8.5 million on lobbying. School districts, led by those in Minneapolis and St. Paul, spent about 10 percent of the total. Other local entities spent about one-fifth.

By comparison, 1,274 registered lobbyists spent more than $60 million last year lobbying the legislature and state agencies, according to the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board. That amount includes an undetermined amount of money local governments paid to professional lobbyists.