Reality Check: Lobbyist Spending In Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Minnesota lobbyists spent nearly $70 million last year to influence state decision makers.
That's according to a new report from the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board.
And so far in 2015, that trend is not slowing down.
Lobbyists spent $64,416,383 influencing the Minnesota Legislature in 2014, according to the report.
That's an average of $320,479 for every legislator, and more than 10 times a single lawmaker's $31,140 annual salary.
"We've got an incredible number of lobbyists spending an incredible amount of money to try to get them to do something," said Hamline University law professor David Schultz, who studies State Capitol lobbying trends.
"What this lobbying does is to guarantee access. And not just access, but repeated access," he added.
So far in 2015, lobbying money is not slowing down.
Between January and May this year, the Campaign Finance Board reports that the teacher's union, Education Minnesota, spent $565,763 on lobbying, including television ads.
And the state's three largest business groups -- The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, Minnesota Business Partnership and Coalition of Minnesota Businesses -- added another $528,502.
Schultz says all that money gives the state's 1,427 lobbyists a built-in advantage.
"Unlike the average citizen, who is not at the Capitol all day, who is not writing letters all day, not face to face with legislators all day, telling them what they think about the legislation, a lobbyist is there constantly," Schultz said.
The Campaign Finance Board report also found utility companies spent nearly $6 million lobbying on everything from pipelines to electricity rates at the five-member Public Utilities Commission.
Here are the sources for this Reality Check:
2014 MN Lobbyist Disbursement Report
Jan-May 2015 MN Lobbying Report
