News
Release
Texans for Public Justice, 609 W. 18th Street, Suite
E, Austin, TX 78701, PH:(512) 472-9770, FAX:(512) 472-9830 E-Mail:
tpj@tpj.org , http://www.tpj.org
For Immediate Release:
September 8, 2004 |
Contact: Craig McDonald
512-472-9770
|
‘Austin’s Oldest Profession’
Continues As Growth Industry
Spending By Texas Lobby Clients Leapt by $46 Million
For 2003 Legislative Sessions
Austin, TX: Lobby spending in Texas—which leads the nation when
considering the top value of all lobbying contracts—rose by $45.9 million
dollars from the 2001 legislative year compared with 2003, a new study
found. The top value of lobby contracts in 2003 was $276 million, a 20
percent increase over the $230 million in contracts in 2001. In just
the first half of 2004, lobby spending exceeds the total spent in 2002
by $10 million. Over the past ten years, special interests spent a total
of up to $2 billion to lobby Texas officials. (Texas lobbyists
report contract income in ranges such as “$50,000 to $99,999”).
Governor Rick Perry made 2003 a banner lobby year by calling the legislature
back for three special sessions. The report, Austin’s
Oldest Profession: Texas’ Top Lobby Clients and Those Who Service Them,
found that the number of paying lobby clients in 2003 totaled 2,283, an
increase of 265, or 13 percent over 2001 the previous legislative year.
The number of paid lobbyists also increased from 1,484 in 2001 to 1,578
in 2003. The number of individual lobbying contracts increased during the
period from 6,391 to 6,593.
“Austin has 50 lobbyists for every Senator and 10 lobbyists for every
House Member,” said Texans for Public Justice Director Craig McDonald.
“This hired-gun army hustles for special favors almost exclusively on behalf
of the corporate and business interests of Texas. Of Texas’ nearly 1,600
lobbyists, just 15 work for consumer groups and just 32 worked to promote
environmental protection. The corporate lobby goes virtually unchallenged
in Texas.”
Austin’s
Oldest Profession’s other key findings about the 2002 lobby include:
-
The 17 clients that reported maximum lobbying expenditures exceeding a
$1 million apiece accounted for 11 percent of all lobby expenditures.
SBC Corp. led the pack, spending up to $7.6 million on its 110 lobbyists.
-
Interests in the Energy & Natural Resources sector spent the most lobby
money, paying up to $43 million for 908 lobby contracts, or 16 percent
of Texas total lobby spending.
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59 lobbyists reported maximum incomes of $1 million or more in 2003—up
from 38 million-dollar lobbyists in 2001. Twenty-six lobbyists reported
incomes over $1.5 million. These elite lobbyists pocketed one out of every
five Texas lobby dollars.
-
Public Strategies Managing Director Rusty Kelley led the lobby, reporting
58 contracts worth up to $3.1 million.
-
Lobbyists reported 35 mega-contracts worth “more than $200,000.” This was
more than twice the mega-contracts reported in 2001.
# # #
Texans for Public Justice is a non-profit, non-partisan research
and advocacy
organization that tracks the role of money in Texas politics.
Copies of this report and other of our publications are available
by visiting www.tpj.org.
home | Austin's
Oldest Profession, 2004 Edition