High Quality
Open the downloaded document, and select print from the file menu (PDF reader required).
Why We Need to Change the Proposed Lobbyist Registration Ordinance
by Councilmember Hunt
The purpose of creating a lobbyist registration system is to reduce the likelihoodof corruption at City Hall. But for this system to be effective, we must focus on thenature of the problem, then develop a system that will, to the fullest extent possible,create a climate hostile to such corruption.What corrupt activity are we trying to prevent?
Buying influence from the mayor and councilmembers. Trading money for a favorable vote.
Who would have incentive to bribe an elected official? Who would a corrupt electedofficial think they could extract a bribe from?
Someone who’s got a financial stake in a decision by the council.
Are paid lobbyists the problem?
No. But like smoke denotes fire, paid lobbyists indicate there’s somebody who has such a significant financial stake in a council decision that they would expend money on a professional to fight on their behalf.
How do we keep a “financial stakeholder” from paying off the mayor or acouncilmember?
We can’t. People who are corrupt will find a way around any rule we create. But we can shed so much light on the relationship between a financial stakeholder and city officials that we make it very difficult for them to trade money for influence.
So how do we shed light on the relationship between financial stakeholders and cityofficials?
By requiring them to disclose the same information we are requiring paid lobbyists to provide. And by requiring both lobbyists and financial stakeholdersto disclose information that illuminates and gives context to the extent of their relationships with city officials
.The following changes to the proposed ordinance attempt to accomplish just that.
1
Proposed Changes to Lobbyist Registration Ordinanceby Councilmember Hunt
Require “Financial Stakeholders” who lobby city officials to register and disclosetheir meetings with city officials.
A “Financial Stakeholder” is a person or business that stands to receive a direct,material benefit resulting from a vote by the City Council. This includes, but is notlimited to, applicants, real property owners, and real property purchasers, as well astheir employees, agents and assigns, who are seeking from the city:
Tax abatements;
Housing tax credits;
Historic tax credits;
Federal grants administered by the city;
Tax increment financing projects;
Re-zoning requests;
Anyone who hires or employs a lobbyist to meet with city officials on their behalf in regard to an issue pending before the city council
Prohibit gifts from lobbyists and financial stakeholders.
Prohibit a lobbyist or financial stakeholder from giving money or goods to anybusiness that a city official has an economic interest in.
Require monthly (rather than quarterly) filing of disclosure forms.
The real check and balance in this entire system is the public. This system givesthe public and the media some measure of access to what is going on behindclosed doors at city hall. But this information is most meaningful
before
a matter is voted on by the council. That is when questions of influence are most pertinentand (perhaps) damning: Councilmember X met a lobbyist at a country club twicea week for a month? Councilmember Y’s meetings with a lobbyist included amajor campaign contributor/powerful Dallasite?
Monthly reports will give the public access to important information when it ismost relevant. If reports are filed only every three months, the public won’t havethe opportunity to bring to light arguably compromising information
before
a
2
matter is voted on by the city council. Quarterly disclosures may make thedisclosed information moot and blunt the goal of this disclosure system.
Include more information about each meeting a lobbyist or financial stakeholderhas with city officials:
Name of city official(s)
Date of meeting
Length of meeting
Location of meeting
Attendees, identifying lobbyist staff, financial stakeholders, and other attendees
This information is critical to addressing the purpose of this disclosure system: toilluminate the extent of relationships between lobbyists and city officials. Simplylisting the city officials that a lobbyist met with (the proposed standard) does notdistinguish between those city officials who met with a lobbyists two hours everyweek from those who simply received a single, two minute phone call. By providing the public with access to information outlining the depth of arelationship between a lobbyist and city official, we reduce the likelihood of corruption.
Prohibit campaign consultants for the mayor or councilmembers from alsoserving as lobbyists on issues that will be decided by the city council or a boardappointed by the city council.
Campaign consultants for powerful members of the council may exert too muchinfluence over other councilmembers when that consultant is also working as a paid lobbyists on matters pending before the council.
Flat annual fee for registrants (not graduated based on number of clients).
If a paid lobbyist and her client both lobby city officials, only the paid lobbyist hasto register (assuming the filing form will include information that would name theclient). If the financial stakeholder does not hire a lobbyist, but nonethelesslobbies city officials on his own, he must register and file disclosures as a lobbyist.
3
Add a Comment