State Lobbying Tab Climbing; Hits $37 Million for 6 Months
posted 11:37 am Mon October 29, 2007 - Harrisburg
That is a sign of significant growth in efforts to influence state government over the five years that Pennsylvania was the only state without a lobbyist disclosure law.
The Associated Press found that nearly $1 million of that amount went to state officials for meals, plane tickets, hotel rooms and other gifts.
At the current rate, spending by corporations, trade associations and other special interests that employ lobbyists is on track to far exceed the 52 million dollars reported in all of 2001. That's the last previous year for which the state required disclosure.
The number of lobbyists is also up more than 35 percent.
In figures the AP drew from data obtained from the Department of State, the $37 million in lobbyist spending from January through June, in part reflected high-stakes battles over health care, energy and communications.
-Hospital & HealthSystem Association of Pennsylvania, represents about 250 hospitals; $933,011.
-Pennsylvania Medical Society, represents about 18,000 doctors; $604,908.
-Highmark Inc., major health insurer based in Pittsburgh; $502,600.-Reynolds American Inc., North Carolina-based parent of R.J. Reynolds, the nation's second-largest tobacco company; $477,473.
-Comcast Corp., the Philadelphia-based cable company; $407,943.
-The Insurance Federation of Pennsylvania, represents more than 200 commercial insurers; $358,809.
-Verizon Pennsylvania, state subsidiary of the national wireline and wireless service provider; $333,792.
-Pennsylvania Builders Association, represents 12,000 residential builders and associated companies; $328,960.
-Exelon Generation Company LLC, part of the corporation that owns three Pennsylvania nuclear power plants; $317,701.
-Energy Association of Pennsylvania, represents electric and gas distribution companies; $291,133.
Source: Pennsylvania Department of State.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Latest Comment on State Lobbying Tab Climbing; Hits $37 Million for 6 Months
Huh?
7:05 pm on 10/29/07
Funny, the regular state employee must sign all kinds of paperwork, listing their secondary jobs, especially of their spouses, and are NOT ALLOWED IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM, TO ACCEPT THESE TYPES OF GIFTS. Why are legislators allowed? And the legislators and executive branches cry because they don't get enough pay. I say do away with lobbyists. It is a form of legislation to the highest bidder. And yes, Theseif, we taxpayers take the shaft again.
Not a member yet? Click Here to sign up.
Please leave your comments below:
Messages that harass, abuse or threaten other members; have obscene or otherwise objectionable content; have spam, commercial or
advertising content or inappropriate links may be removed and may result in the loss of your posting privileges.
Please do not post any private information unless you want it to be available publicly.
Never assume that you are completely anonymous and cannot be identified by your posts.
© 2007 Harrisburg Television, Inc.
© 2007 The Associated Press
All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The 'RUNNING MAN' icon is a registered trademark of America Online, Inc.
ABC 27 News to leave comments on news stories.