Ordinance: Prohibition on taxpayer funded lobbying activities

Summary

Where it is proper for a local elected official and local government staff to communicate with the state legislature about policy matters, it is not proper for local governments to use taxpayer dollars to pay for contract lobbyists or association lobbyists to influence the outcome of particular legislation pending before the body. Using local tax dollars to support or oppose measures under consideration by the state legislature may prioritize a local government’s agenda over that of its constituents. Further, publicly-funded, third-party lobbying may represent a conflict of interest since many of these lobbyists actively participate in the political process, usually through making campaign contributions, fundraising, and electioneering.

Draft

Ordinance: Prohibition on taxpayer funded lobbying activities

BE IT ENACTED BY THE (Insert Jurisdiction):

SECTION 1. to read as follows:

PROHIBITION ON LOBBYING EXPENDITURES.

(a)(Insert Jurisdiction) may not pay:

a person or entity that is required to register as a lobbyist with the state government for the purpose of lobbying on behalf of (Insert Jurisdiction)

any partner, employee, employer, relative, contractor, consultant, or related entity of a person for the purposes of lobbying.

a person or entity that has been hired to represent associations or other entities for the purpose of affecting the outcome of legislation, agency rules, ordinances, or other government policies.

SECTION 2. Applies to an expenditure made on or after the effective date of this ordinance. An expenditure made before the effective date of this ordinance is governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective date of this ordinance and is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 3. This ordinance takes effect (Insert Date)

Issues

Task Forces

Policy Centers